EARL COMPTON (York, W.R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the sum of £500,000 advanced by the Caisse de la Dette for the Soudan Expedition has been already spent; and, in that case, from what source the current expense of that expedition is being drawn?
MR. CURZONNo Returns have been received of the amounts so far expended in the Egyptain Expedition. But it is not believed that liabilities so large as £500,000 will, for some time to come, have been incurred.
§ MR. C. P. SCOTT (Lancashire, Leigh)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he will cause orders to be given for the suspension of the Military censorship of telegrams from the Soudan, so far as to permit inquiry to be made and answers to be freely sent as to the accuracy or otherwise of the statements of the Standard's war correspondent in regard to the looting of the property of the Dervishes defeated at the battle of Firket, and the triumphant appropriation of women by the black troops forming part of Major Burn-Murdoch's force?
MR. CURZONNo, Sir. I see no necessity for the suspension of the military censorship, which is exercised at the discretion of the Sirdar; and I may add that I do not think that the 1063 words which have been quoted demand the construction which appears to have suggested itself in some quarters.