§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that Her Majesty's Ministry, in December 1883, prevented the Khedive from applying to His Sovereign, the Sultan of Turkey, for Military aid to relieve the garrisons in the Soudan; what are the occasions since January 1st 1884 on which Her Majesty's Ministers have "suggested to the Sultan that he should resume the direct administration of the Red Sea Littoral;" what conditions were appended to such suggestions; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have, since the fall of Khartoum, invited the Sultan to send relief to the garrison and people of Kassala?
LORD EDMOND FLTZMAURICEOn the 12th of December, 1883, the Egyptian Government expressed a wish that Her Majesty's Government should negotiate with the Sultan the conditions under which the assistance of Turkish troops could be obtained in view of the state of affairs in the Soudan (Egypt, No. 1, 1884, p. 121), and on the following day Her Majesty's Government replied that they had no objection to the employment of Turkish troops if they were paid by the Turkish Government and employed exclusively for the Soudan. Her Majesty's Government were opposed to any operations except to secure the retreat of the garrisons (Egypt, No. 1, 1884, p. 131). In May last Her Majesty's Government proposed that the Sultan, as Sovereign of Egypt, should resume direct jurisdiction over the ports on the Egyptian Coast of the Red Sea, and should occupy them with his troops. Lord Granville has expressed his regret to Musurus Pasha that the Porte had not come to any decision on the subject. This proposal was made in the confidence that the Sultan would be ready to apply and observe, with regard to the territory so resumed, the provisions of the agreements between England and Turkey as to freedom of commerce, navigation, 884 Customs, and the suppression of the Slave Trade. Her Majesty's Government have not invited the Sultan, since the fall of Khartoum, to send relief to Kassala.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked, whether the conditions imposed on the Sultan as to the Soudan and Egypt were that he should pay the expenses of the abandonment of the Soudan, and should be limited to entry to the Soudan solely by way of Suakin?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEsaid, if the hon. Member desired further information, it had been explained to him that the Papers relating to this subject were before the House.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTsaid, the noble Lord had not fully answered his Question. He should put a Question on the subject to-morrow.