HL Deb 13 February 1877 vol 232 cc252-4
EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, I rise to ask another Question, of which I have given private Notice, and which is not likely to lead to debate. Having the other day expressed some alarm at the voluminous character of the Blue Book, it may appear inconsistent to ask for any addition to it—more especially as in some cases Her Majesty's Government has certainly given us very detailed information. For instance, in page 11, I find this despatch given at full length—

The Earl of Derby to the Marquis of Salisbury.

My Lord, Foreign Office, November 20, 1876.

I HAVE to request your Excellency to correspond with this office, while employed on the service of your Special Embassy, in a series of despatches, numbered and docketed, and addressed to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

I am, &c.,

(Signed) DERBY.

We all know that, in pursuance of these Instructions, Lord Salisbury did write despatches—and very good ones—and I have no doubt the first-rate Foreign Office clerks who accompanied him duly numbered and docketed them. With regard to this despatch, there is only one very small question which suggests itself to me. The Question is this. By the Blue Book the noble Marquess was clearly appointed "Special Ambassador." Why, then, in the Queen's Speech, does he suddenly tumble down to the more humble position of "Special Envoy?" But I do not require any answer to that Question—What I desire to know is, why the despatches recording Lord Salisbury's conversations with Prince Bismarck are not published, nor those with Marshal Mac-Mahon and the Due Decazes? Despatches are to be found in the Blue Book recording conversations with the Austrian Emperor, Count Andrassy, and Count Melagari:—there is also a conversation with the German Emperor; but I can find nothing as to those which are said to have taken place, and certainly did take place, between Lord Salisbury and Prince Bismarck and the French Government. The Emperor of Germany, among other things which he was stated to have said to the noble Marquess, stated that— He trusted that by the concession of reasonable reforms in the administration of the Turkish Provinces, combined with guarantees for their execution, the necessity for an occupation of Turkish territory might be avoided. His Majesty considered that it was impossible for Europe any longer to accept the mere promises of the Porte, and that it was indispensable that satisfactory guarantees against the continuance of the evils under which the Christians in Turkey were suffering should be arranged. He (Earl Granville) thought there could be no doubt that Prince Bismarck held similar language to that of the Emperor, but the subject would probably have been further developed; and if it was important that the public should know the views of Italy and Austria, it was certainly not less important that they should know the views from Paris and Berlin. The Question he wished to put to the noble Earl was, whether the despatches he had alluded to were of so completely a confidential character that it would not be right to produce them? Any assurance to that effect from the noble Earl would be considered by him as sufficient.

THE EARL OF DERBY

My Lords, the noble Earl, in the intimation with which he closed his observations, has suggested by anticipation the answer which his diplomatic experience told him it would be my duty to give. Having regard to the confidential character of conversations sometimes held with foreign Ministers, cases must arise in which the Secretary of State and the Government have to consider whether the publication of those conversations would involve a breach of confidence, and whether it would be conducive to the public interests or calculated to produce embarrassment. In regard to the conversations held with the other eminent persons whom the noble Earl has named, we did not think that anything had passed the publication of which would be unsatisfactory to the persons concerned, or on public grounds in any way objectionable. But, as respects the conversations with the French Government and with Prince Bismarck, those were undoubtedly of a more unreserved and confidential character, and we thought that if we published them we should be doing that which would produce a very unpleasant feeling, and would be considered a breach of confidence. That is the reason why the despatches the subject of the noble Earl's Question have not been published with the other Papers.