§ MR. WILLIAM ALLEN (Newcastle-under-Lyme)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether Her Majesty's Government can produce Lord Cromer's Dispatches in reference to the proposed expedition to Dongola?
MR. CURZONNO Dispatches respecting the advance up the Valley of the Nile have been received from Lord Cromer. The communications from him have been by telegraph, and could not be laid before the House.
§ MR. JOHN MORLEY (Montrose Burghs)I should like to ask the right; hon. Gentleman whether any Papers are going to be laid before the House or not?
§ MR. ALLENMay I ask whether the expedition was undertaken in consequence of the recommendation of Lord Cromer? ["Oh!"]
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that Question. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ MR. HENRY LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the assent of any of the great Powers to the proposal to take funds from the reserve in the Egyptian Caisse de la Dette, in order to meet the costs of the expedition towards Dongola, was assured before the assent of all was asked; and whether he can say if the statement that two-thirds of the bonds of Egyptians loans now in circulation belong to Frenchmen is approximately correct?
MR. CURZONNo, Sir; the application was made simultaneously to the Governments of all the great Powers. There is no information in the Foreign Office showing the proportion of Egyptian bonds held by Frenchmen.