§ Mr. JOHN ROBERTSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he could give the names and ages of the Dervish prisoners still incarcerated in Egypt, and state the present place of their detention; and whether there was yet any prospect of their being released?
§ Sir E. GREYThe names of the Dervish prisoners still incarcerated are: Osman Digna, Yunes el Dekin, Abdul Bagi Abdel Wakil, Ibrahim Malik, Mohammed Ahmed el Helw, Ismail Ahmed, and Mohammed el Mahdi Ahmed. I do not know their ages. It was decided during the past year to transfer the Dervish prisoners from Damietta to the more congenial surround- 170 ings of Wadi Haifa. On the 9th March, one Emir, with his family, was removed to these new quarters, and on the 5th April five others followed. Finally, on the 20th December, Osman Digna left Damietta to join his compatriots. The majority of the prisoners enjoy considerable liberty within the precincts of Wadi Halfa, but Osman Digna has not abandoned that fanatical spirit which might still render him a source of danger. I cannot add anything further to previous answers.