§ 31 and 80. Lieut.-Colonel JAMESasked the Prime Minister (1) whether any representations have been made to the Egyptian Government to the effect that the repeated murders of British subjects cannot be tolerated and will imperil the future of pending negotiations; whether compensation on the most generous terms has been demanded on behalf of the dependants or in the case of attempted murder or malicious injury of the victims:
(2) whether he is in a position to give any details as to the recent assassination of the assistant-commandant of police in Cairo; and whether he has any information that there is in Egypt a widespread organisation for the murder of British subjects?
§ 84. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the murderer of Bimbashi Cave has yet been arrested and whether both the British military authorities and the Egyptian Government have taken any steps to ensure against further similar outrages by more energetic measures against the small gang of extremists who were implicated in the plot on the life of the Prime Minister in Egypt and against the lives of British officials serving in Egypt?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Cecil Harmsworth)Bimbashi W. F. Cunliffe Cave, while returning home about 1669 1.30 p.m. on 24th May, was shot dead in that quarter of Cairo where most of the Egyptian Ministries are situated. His assailants, who are reported to have been three in number, escaped. Within the last three months attempts have been made on the lives of no fewer than seven British subjects in Cairo, but in no instance have any arrests been made. In view of their failure to check this series of outrages, Lord Allenby has been instructed to make the strongest possible representations to the Egyptian Government, who are being informed that His Majesty's Government will hold thorn responsible for indemnifying such foreigners or foreign officials as have been injured, or their heirs should the victims have succumbed.
§ Lieut.-Colonel JAMESMay I ask you the last part of my first question: Whether generous compensation has been demanded?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHYes, Sir, I think I may confidently say that.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREDo we understand that Lord Allenby is taking any steps himself, or is he relying on the Egyptian Government?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHThe Egyptian Government would be the normal authority, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that Lord Allenby regards this matter as a most serious one, and he is taking every possible step in regard to it.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs it not a fact that the gang suspected of carrying out these murders are foreigners, and is the same gang that attempted the life of the Premier—not the present one—and have not the Military Intelligence Department got a very considerable amount of evidence about this murder gang?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHI am not sure of that I will look into it.