§ MR. YOXALL (Nottinghamshire,W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to a petition of grievances sent, in or about the month of January, 1901, to the Foreign Office by British subjects resident in Jerusalem, complaining of their treatment by His Majesty's Consulate in that city; and will he say whether an inquiry was held.
I beg also to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that a petition of British residents in Jerusalem complaining of their treatment by his Majesty's Consulate in Jerusalem was sent by the Foreign Office to his Majesty's Consul at Jerusalem; and that, thereupon, the Arab dragoman and clerk proceeded to intimidate the signatories; and, seeing that the grievances of British subjects at Jerusalem have gone unredressed up to the present, and that dissatisfaction with the way in which the consulate is carried on still prevails, will he make inquiries into this case.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord CRANBORNE, Rochester)he answer to the first sentence is in the affirmative. Inquiries have already been made into the allegations, which have not been substantiated, but further inquiries will be made through His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople.
§ MR. YOXALLWere the inquiries made by the persons accused?
§ LORD CRANBORNEThey were made by the Foreign Office.