HC Deb 25 June 1897 vol 50 cc625-7

Resolution reported:— 1. "That a not exceeding £238,212, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st. day Of March 1898, for the expenses of Her Majesty's Embassies and Mission abroad, and of the Consular Establishments abroad, and other expenditure chargeable on the Consular Vote.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. G. CURZON,) Lancashire, Southport

May I be permitted to say a word with reference to the discussion that took place yesterday afternoon on the question of slavery in Zanzibar? It may be in the recollection of hon. Members that certain documents were produced by hon. Members on the Opposition side of the House purporting to be authorisations issued by the British Administrator at Mombasa with reference to the restoration of fugitive slaves. I should like to say what perhaps I ought to have said yesterday, that these documents were entirely new to Her Majesty's Government. We were quite unaware of their existence. We have never seen them. They were supplied to hon. Gentlemen opposite, and they were brought before the notice of the House. I take this opportunity of saying that, in the Foreign Office, we shall be very much obliged if hon. Members will give us copies of the originals of these documents in order that we may examine and discover their real purport. There is also another remark which I wish to make with reference to the assurances given by the Leader of the House last night—that we are already sending out specific instructions to our representative at Mombasa that no proceedings of the kind referred to should take place in future.

MR. SYDNEY GEDGE (Walsall)

said he was very glad to hear the statement the right hon. Gentleman had made. He was quite sure that if it had been made the previous night, it would have prevented several Members voting in the opposite Lobby.

Resolution agreed to. 2."That a sum, not exceeding £117,463, be granted to Her Majesty to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1898, for rants in Aid of the Expenses of the British Protectorates in Uganda and in Central and East Africa, and under The Uganda Railway Act, 1896. 3. "That a sum, not exceeding £64,876 (including an additional start of £1,950), be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the let day of March 1898, for sundry Colonial Services, including certain Grants in Aid, and Expenses incurred under The Pacific Islanders' Protection Act, 1875,' and certain Charges connected with South Africa. 4. "That a sum, not exceeding £1,128, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1898, for Expenses in connection with the Suppression of the Slave Trade, and the Maintenance of certain Liberated Africans. 5. "That a sum, not exceeding £34,100, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1898, for the Subsidies to certain Telegraph Companies.

Resolutions agreed to.