§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the refusal of the Shah of Persia to act on the advice of the British and Russian agents in reference to the granting of a Constitution, the Russian officers now in the service of the Shah will be withdrawn.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe last phase is that the Shah is going to give a Constitution, and the contingency mentioned does not, therefore, arise in answer to 666 this Question and that of the hon. Member for Ripon. The Russian Government must deal with Russian officers as they think proper. I should certainly not admit that our dealings with British officers were to be influenced by pressure applied through a foreign Parliament; I imagine that other Governments have the same feeling; and the questions put on this subject by the hon. Member for Ripon seem to me calculated to defeat their own object, if that is their object, in so far as they have any effect at all.
§ MR. DILLONCan the right hon. Gentleman give any information as to the character of the Constitution?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYNo, Sir; nor do I think it is for us to decide its character.
§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAYMay I ask the date of the last phase?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI think two or three days ago; at any rate, very recently.
§ MR. LYNCH (Yorkshire, W.R., Ripon)Is it to be a new Constitution or a revival of the old Constitution?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThat is covered by the Answer which I have given. I am not prepared to be responsible for the internal affairs of Persia.