§ SIR EDWARD SASSOON (Hythe)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the agitation in this country for a reduction of foreign telegraph rates, Her Majesty's Government would request Her Majesty's Ambassador in Constantinople, Lord Cromer, and Her Majesty's Minister in Teheran, to procure from the Turkish, Egyptian, and Persian Governments, respectively, copies of all concessions granted to, and all agreements made with, either the Eastern Telegraph Company, the Indo-European, or the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, or the agents of all or any of them, and the Indian Government. I beg further to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the efforts now being made for a reduction of Foreign, Colonial, and Indian telegraphic charges, Her Majesty's Government would request Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, Her Majesty's Minister at Teheran, and Lord Cromer to procure from the Turkish, Persian, and Egyptian Governments, respectively, copies of all concessions granted to, and all agreements made with, either the Eastern Telegraph Company, the Indo-European, or the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, or the agents of all or any of them, and with the Indian Government.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordIn reply to the two questions of my hon. friend, I have to say that Her Majesty's Government would not feel justified in publishing or in obtaining for publication, as seems to be suggested, from one of the parties without the consent of the other, copies of the arrangements referred to. The arrangements between Her Majesty's Government and Turkey and Persia have already been published.