§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have yet considered from what source the expense of using British troops for the defence of the Egyptian frontier is to come; whether, in view of the evidence afforded by the present situation of the insufficiency of the Egyptian Army to defend Egypt, measures will be taken to increase that Army; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps to ascertain if the French Government will consent to the conversion of the Egyptian Privilege Debt on the conditions that the saving will be applied towards increasing the Egyptian Army, and making Egypt self-supporting?
§ * THE UNDEE SECRETAEY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.The question in the first paragraph has not been considered; the immediate duty is to repel the invasion; as regards the case of British troops already in Egypt the additional expense mainly consists of transport and stores. As regards the 1424 second, the hon. Member may rest assured that all measures will be taken that are deemed necessary for the due fulfilment of the duties in hand. The French Government have given no indication of such a disposition, as is suggested in the third.