§ SIR G. BADEN-POWELLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the claims of Zobehr Pasha for compensation in regard to property in territories, rights over which have now been ceded by Her Majesty's Government in 1265 the Congo Treaty; whether such compensation was specifically promised by the late General Gordon, with the knowledge of Lord Cromer, on condition that Zobehr Pasha was proved not to have written a certain letter then in the possession of the Government; whether these claims have ever been fully investigated and reported upon by the judicial adviser of the Egyptian Government; and whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake that an independent judicial Commission shall issue to investigate and determine these claims, and thus carry out the undertaking entered into by the late General Gordon?
§ SIR E. GREYHer Majesty's Government are not aware of Zobehr Pasha having any claims in regard to territories affected by the Agreement of May 12 between Great Britain and the King of the Belgians, as Sovereign of the Congo State. As regards Zobehr's claim to compensation for property which was confiscated by the Egyptian Government 15 years ago, General Gordon did undertake to recommend that he should be compensated if it were proved that a certain letter, of which General Gordon had seen the original and retained copies, did not exist, and that his property had been unjustifiably confiscated. The Report of the interview at which this statement was made, which took place in Lord Cromer's presence, will be found in Egypt, No. 12,1884, pages 40 and 41. Her Majesty's Government are not aware whether these claims have been referred to the Judicial Advisers of the Egyptian Government, but they see no ground for their interference in respect of these claims of Zobehr Pasha, an Egyptian subject, against the Government.