§ MR. COHENIn the absence of the hon. Member for Wandsworth, I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Zebehr Pasha was nominated by the late General Gordon, in the year 1884, Vice Governor of the Soudan, and promised by him the restitution of his property in the Soudan; whether this nomination was rescinded at the instigation of the English Government of the day; whether, shortly afterwards, Zebehr Pasha was seized and sent without trial to Gibraltar, and confined there for over two years; whether, since his release at the end of 1887, he has repeatedly asked that he might be brought to trial, or have his property restored to him; and whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to support his demand for a tribunal to try his case?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEMy personal knowledge with regard to Zebehr Pasha is principally of old date, and no communications have taken place with respect to him since the present Government came into Office. I have, therefore, applied to the Foreign Office for information, and I will read a letter which I have received from my noble Friend 1633 Lord Rosebery. The substance of the letter is that Zebehr Pasha was appointed by General Gordon in 1884 Sub-Governor of the Soudan, and that he subsequently made a claim upon the Egyptian Government of £E.974,000 for loss of property. Her Majesty's Government declined to sanction Zebehr Pasha's mission to Khartoum, and he was arrested at the request of Lord Wolseley, then General Officer commanding in Egypt, for military reasons, and was sent to Gibraltar, where he was detained until August, 1887. Zebehr Pasha asked to be allowed to return to the Soudan, or to be paid his claim for loss of property. Before leaving Gibraltar he signed a paper undertaking to live at whatever place the Egyptian Government might select, and it was arranged that he should receive £E.3,000 a year and should abandon all claims upon the Egyptian Government. This arrangement having been entered into between Zebehr Pasha and the Egyptian Government, Her Majesty's Government have not thought it to be any part of their duty to interfere.