§ MR. M'COANasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Egyptian Tress Law is still in existence; whether, according to it, three "warnings" must precede the suppression of any newspaper subject to its provisions; whether such "warnings" were given to The Bosphore Egyptien before its recent suppression; whether the decree ordering such suppression emanated from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as provided by the Press Law, or from the Ministry of the Interior, of which Mr. Clifford Lloyd is the Under Secretary; whether such decree has been sanctioned by Sir Evelyn Baring: whether the specific offence for which the suspension has been ordered wag the publication of an article in the issue of the condemned newspaper for the 18th of February last, in which the influence of Sir Evelyn Baring on Egyptian Administration was unfavourably, but still moderately and respectfully, commented on; and, whether he will lay Copies of such article, of the decree suppressing the newspaper, and of any Despatches received from Cairo on the subject, upon the Table of the House?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEThe Egyptian Press Law now in force is presumed to be that of November 26, 1881. According to Article 13 of that law, two warnings must precede the suppression of a newspaper; but it may be suppressed without warning by a decision of the Council of Ministers. The execution of the law rests with the Minister of the Interior, not with the 46 Minister for Foreign Affairs. Sir Evelyn Baring has been asked to communicate the facts in the particular case of The Bophore Egyptien: and, as I have already stated, there will be no objection to presenting the Papers to Parliament.