§ Mr. JOHN ROBERTSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the complaint of the chief fishermen and notables of Matarieh and Ezbet-el-Burg, Damietta, as to the bestowal of the monopoly of the fish market there upon the Lake Menzala Company; whether he is aware that this monopoly amounts to the suppression of the rights of free sale formerly enjoyed by the fishermen; whether it is further proposed to compel the fishermen to use new fishing implements; whether such compulsion is necessitated or defended on humanitarian grounds; and whether he will urge upon the Egyptian Government the expediency of restoring to the fishermen their former market rights?
§ Sir E. GREYThe matter referred to has been brought to my notice. I am not aware of the reasons for which the Egyptian Government adopted the course complained of, but I will address an inquiry on the subject to His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Cairo.