§ MR. SETON-KARR (St. Helens)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is correct, as stated in an article by Sir William Marriott in The Pall Mall Gazette, of 18th July last, that Rogers Pasha, the Director General of the Sanitary Department in Egypt, had in 1893 reported that Egypt, in its general sanitary condition, remains as it was 10 years ago; that not a town has been drained, for the drainage of Cairo is only approved; and that from a sanitary point of view the country is about as well prepared to meet the disease of cholera as it was in 1883; whether, as suggested in the same Report, the Finance Department in Egypt is responsible for this state of things; whether Sir Elwin Palmer is now the Financial Adviser of that Department, and holds the appointment under an agreement with the Egyptian Government that he is to retain it for 15 years from the date of his appointment; and whether such an agreement is legal, and has the sanction of Her Majesty's Government?
§ SIR E. GREYThe opinion of Rogers Pasha, the Director General of the Sanitary Department in Egypt, as to the general sanitary condition of Egypt, will be found on page 17 of Lord Cromer's Report of this year on the condition of Egypt (Egypt No. 1, 1894). It will be seen that a certain amount of progress has been made in sanitary improvements, though in a Mahomedan country, and one so hampered as Egypt is in matters of finance and of administration affecting foreigners, the progress is necessarily slow and difficult. It will be seen from Mr. Garstin's observations on page 37 of the same Report that the Finance Department is not solely, or even mainly, 673 responsible for the delay in executing the drainage scheme for Cairo, but that it is useless to take any steps in this direction till certain complementary measures have received the assent of the Powers. Sir Elwin Palmer has been Financial Adviser to the Egyptian Government since August, 1889. The choice was made by the Egyptian Government, but was agreed to by Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government were not consulted as to the terms of the contract under which Sir E. Palmer accepted the appointment. Such contracts are usually made for a term of years, with certain conditions in case of an earlier termination. It is a matter within the discretion of the Egyptian Government; and, so far as Her Majesty's Government can judge, the practice is both legal and convenient.
§ MR. SETON-KARRWill the hon. Baronet kindly state some of the particulars alleged of the improvement in sanitary reform?
§ SIR E. GREYNo, Sir; for all particulars I think it very much more convenient that the hon. Member should consult the Report first.