HC Deb 22 February 1905 vol 141 cc893-4
MR.WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, having regard to the fact that out of the 16,000 pilgrims of Egyptian nationality who have started on the pilgrimage to Mecca only 1,600 have availed themselves of Government protection by travelling with the Mahmal, will he, in view of the ill-treatment suffered by pilgrims last year when passing through Turkish Arabia, consider the expediency of communicating with the Turkish Government in order to secure some kind of protection for the pilgrims who are not accompanying the Mahmal.

THE UNDER - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY,) Kensington, S.

As I informed the hon. Member yesterday†matters of this kind primarily concern the Egyptian Goverment. Representations have been made to the Turkish Government, and it is hoped that there may be no further cause of complaint.