§ 36. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Prime Minister whether any inquiry is to be held into the origin or instigation of the racial riots at Alexandria; and what action His Majesty's Government proposes to take to protect uninfluential Greek, and Italian shopkeepers?
Mr. HARMSWORTHHis Majesty's High Commissioner for Egypt and the Soudan is constituting a Court of Inquiry to inquire into the disturbances referred to by the hon. Member. On Monday, the British military authorities came to the assistance of the local police and took over the responsibility for maintaining order. By Tuesday evening the town was reported calm.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill Zaghloul Pasha be asked to give evidence before this committee, and is the safety of the ordinary shopkeeper and people of Greek and Italian nationality now assured, though they are still in the position of having to keep their shops closed?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe position is secure at the present time. The matters to which the hon. and gallant Member has referred had better, I think, be left to the authorities on the spot.
§ Earl WINTERTONWhat is the latest communication received on this matter? Has the hon. Gentleman seen a communication which appeared this morning, apparently perfectly authorised, stating that, so far from the position being calm, the whole town is in a state of anarchy, that the local police are unable to keep order and that there are urgent demands from foreign Consuls for further assistance and, if necessary, British warships?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe Noble Lord will see that there is a special question on that point and he had better wait for it.
§ Earl WINTERTONI was only afraid that I should not be allowed to put it.
§ 49. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information regarding the cause and nature of the recent outbreak of violence in Alexandria; how many non-Egyptian subjects were killed and wounded; how many 305 of these were British; whether there have been any similar outbreaks elsewhere in Egypt; and whether he has any information to show that the outbreaks were a deliberately planned attempt of the Zaghloulist faction to provoke military interference for the purpose of providing propaganda of anti-British, anti-European, and pro-Bolshevik kind?
Mr. HARMSWORTHLord Allenby reported on Tuesday night that 14 Europeans had been killed and 69 wounded during the disturbances in Alexandria. One British subject, a military policeman, was injured, and subsequently died. No anti-foreign outbreaks in other places have been reported. As regards the first and last parts of the question, I would prefer, before making any statement, to await the findings of the Court of Inquiry mentioned in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTIs it not a fact that he is a large subscriber to the paper that favours revolution in this country, and, therefore, is it not perfectly clear that his supporters are probably advocating a precisely similar policy in Egypt?
§ Earl WINTERTON (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether public order has now been restored in Cairo and Alexandria, and whether, in view of the fact that strong representations have been made by the Consuls of Allied Powers regarding the maltreatment of their nationals by Egyptian mobs and that His Britannic Majesty's Government are, by treaty and convention bound to protect the interests of foreigners in Egypt, he can give an assurance that rigorous measures will be taken against those responsible for the recent outbreak.
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer the Noble Lord to the answer I have just given to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormsby-Gore) to which I have nothing to add.
§ Earl WINTERTONCan the right hon. Gentleman clear up the remarkable mystery which seems to exist about this. Can he inform the House when he last 306 received information from Egypt, in view of the grave reports available in a certain quarter this morning and dated yesterday, according to which, Alexandria is practically in a state of insurrection, the police forces are not functioning and the foreign inhabitants have sent an urgent telegram to Lord Allenby asking for the despatch of further British troops.
§ Earl WINTERTONWill my right hon. Friend say when the official information was received, because the report in question was dated yesterday?
§ Earl WINTERTONWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries from his office, in view of the grave importance of this matter, and make a statement on the Adjournment of the House this evening?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREDoes the right hon. Gentleman receive daily telegrams as to what is going on in Egypt?