HC Deb 23 July 1907 vol 178 c1354
MR. LYNCH (Yorks, W.R., Ripon)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that owing to the increase in the Turkish Customs duties granted by the Powers for a period of seven years, an annual sum estimated at from £450,000 to £500,000, and consisting of the best revenues of Turkey, will become available in two or three years for any purposes to which the Porte may desire to apply it, he will use his good offices with the Turkish Government as to the employment of these best revenues, thus to be set free, during the period for which the increase in the Customs has been granted.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY, Northumberland, Berwick)

I can add nothing to previous Answers which I have given on this subject.

MR. LYNCH

Arising out of that Answer, does the hon. Gentleman intend to acquiesce without protest to the applications of these large revenues—which have only been set free by our consent to the increase in the Customs on behalf of the wretched peasantry in Macedonia— to finding dividends for the German capitalists of the Baghdad Railway?

SIR E. GREY

I never said that I intended to acquiesce in anything.