HC Deb 20 February 1885 vol 294 cc916-8
MR. BRODRICK

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the fact that telegraphic or other despatches have been received by Her Majesty's Government or Lord Wolseley from General Gordon which have not been communi- cated to the public press; what are the dates of these despatches; and, whether he will lay them upon the Table of the House without delay?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

had also the following Question on the Paper:—If the Secretary of State for War can inform the House whether any of the Diaries of General Gordon are in the possession of Lord Wolseley or Sir Charles Wilson, or any of the officers in the Soudan; and, if so, whether the Government will lay upon the Table of the House so much of those Diaries as is of public interest, and give the remainder to General Gordon's family?

MR. SAMPSON LLOYD

also asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any letters written by General Gordon, which are alleged to have been handed to Sir Charles Wilson on 21st January last, or whether they have received any copies of them or of any of them; whether they have received any of the five complete monthly Diaries of the siege of Khartoum (alleged to have been handed to Sir Charles Wilson) or any copies thereof; and, if they have received any of the above, whether they will communicate them to the House?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

In answering the hon. Member, I will, if they will permit me, reply also to the Questions which stand in the names of the hon. Members for Harwich and West Surrey, and of the right hon. Member for Bradford. In the Papers laid on the Table last night are included all despatches or letters from General Gordon which have come into the hands of Her Majesty's Government, and which do not relate exclusively to personal matters. As to any further despatches or papers which may have reached Lord Wolseley, I can only state what information I have received from him. On January 28, when he reported that Sir Herbert Stewart's Force had reached Gubat, Lord Wolseley said that he had no letters of any importance from General Gordon, and that the most recent, dated December 29, contained merely one line, saying, "Khartoum all right; could hold out for years." In another telegram of the same date he mentioned letters which he had received from General Gordon, which I have not received; but to which I gather that his previous telegram referred, as being of no importance. Lord Wolseley made no addition to these statements on February 9, when he reported Sir Charles Wilson's arrival at Korti. I have received to-day a further telegram from Lord Wolseley to the effect that General Gordon's diary is in six volumes, of which only one had reached him, and which he had sent home by the last mail, but that the other five, with some other Papers, were believed to be on the way from Gubat. He would send them on as soon as they arrived. I should prefer to give no absolute pledge as to their disposal until I receive them.

MR. W. E. FORSTER

asked whether the diaries, which were not of public interest, would be sent to General Gordon's family as soon as they arrived?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Of course; but I should not like to make any promise with regard to them.

MR. MACFARLANE

May I ask the noble Marquess whether the communications he has received from General Gordon are in Arabic or in English?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Both despatches I referred to are, I believe, written in English.