HC Deb 14 March 1892 vol 2 cc757-8
MR. R. CHAMBERLAIN (Islington, W.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, Whether he is aware that Mr. William F. Purdie and his brother were arrested at Auteuil, France, on Sunday, 6th instant, on a charge of picking pockets, that in spite of protestations of innocence and urgent requests they were refused permission to communicate with the British Embassy until the Wednesday following, and that during this interval they were confined with and treated as common malefactors until Thursday, when they were released on parole, their trial and acquittal not taking place till Friday; whether Her Majesty's Government is taking any steps to obtain redress for the indignities offered these gentlemen and to prevent repetition of such treatment to Englishmen in future?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. J. W. LOWTHER,) Cumberland, Penrith

The facts are substantially as stated by the hon. Gentleman. No communication reached the Embassy until 1 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon from Mr. Purdie or his brother. One of the Secretaries at once proceeded then to the Prefecture and urged the release of these gentlemen; but he was told that the release could only be effected if the Embassy would guarantee Messrs. Purdies' honorabilité, and the Embassy not being in a position to do that, some delay took place, but in the evening of that day, Wednesday, a further communication was made to the Prefecture asking that these gentlemen should be released. Unfortunately, in consequence of the absence of the principal functionary from the Prefecture, it was impossible to obtain the release of these gentlemen that evening; but, on Thursday morning when the Embassy were in a position to guarantee Messrs. Purdies' respectability, they requested immediate release, and it was granted on the afternoon of Thursday. The question is a grave one, and is the subject of communications between Her Majesty's Government and the French Government. We trust that the French Government will be willing to redress the injury which has been done and take steps to provide against the recurrence of similar incidents in future.