§ SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOTsaid, he wished to put two Questions to the Prime Minister. The first was, whether the proposed Conference on the subject of the finances of Egypt was to be held in London or Constantinople? The second Question arose out of an answer given by the Prime Minister yesterday, when he declined to give a pledge that other matters besides the Law of Liquidation would not be considered by the Conference. He wished to know whether the basis of the Conference and the limits of the questions to be discussed had been fixed; and whether the Prime Minister would communicate them to the House before the meeting of the Conference?
MR. GLADSTONEWith regard to the first Question of the hon. and gallant Member, I do not think that the place of meeting has yet been absolutely settled. With regard to the second Question, I have to say that the basis of the Conference is really settled by the indication sent out by Lord Granville, which has been laid on the Table of the House. What I have already said amounts to this—that a discretionary power remains to raise any other question than that proposed by the Government; but no other question is within the actual range of the Conference, and if any other question should be raised it would be a new question, and it would be like calling a new Conference. We cannot undertake that the Conference shall forego the opportunity of raising a new question at a given time.