HL Deb 28 July 1882 vol 273 cc4-6
THE DUKE OF SOMERSET

asked the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he could give any information respecting the Military Force proposed to be despatched to Egypt by Turkey?

EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, I will read to the House the latest communication we have received from the Porte. It is a message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Turkish Ambassador there, in the following terms:— Constantinople, July 26, 1882. (Communicated July 27.) In continuation of my Circular of the 24th instant, I hasten to inform you that the Sublime Porte, "being resolved to exercise, in an efficacious manner, its incontestable Sovereign rights over Egypt, and wishing thereby to secure the restoration of tranquillity, has decided on immediately despatching to the spot a sufficient number of troops. The measures necessary for this object have already been taken, and this military expedition is on the point of taking place. I beg you, consequently, to bring the above as speedily as possible to the knowledge of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I shall be prepared to lay this communication on the Table, and perhaps it will be right to read the answer we have sent to the Porte. It is a direction to Lord Dufferin, who is instructed to make to the Conference the following declaration:— The destruction of the forts of Alexandria, necessitated by considerations of self-defence, and under circumstances constituting a case of force majeure, has been followed by occurrences which made it incumbent on the commanders of Her Majesty's Forces to take further steps to insure the safety of the Khedive, and to restore peace and order in the town and neighbourhood. The hostile attitude of the rebel forces, and the great importance of protecting the free navigation of the Suez Canal, have necessitated further preparations, which Her Majesty's Government believe will be sufficient of themselves for the restoration of the authority of the Khedive and the establishment of settled order in Egypt. While reserving to themselves the liberty of action which the pressure of events may render expedient and necessary, Her Majesty's Government will be glad to receive the co-operation of any Powers who are ready to afford it. They are accordingly prepared to accept frankly the assistance which the Sultan has now announced his readiness to give in the restoration of order by sending troops to Egypt in accordance with the invitation addressed to His Majesty by the Powers, and subject to the conditions proposed by them. They now desire to learn what number of troops the Sultan intends to send, the date of their probable departure, and the proposed disposition of them. In the meanwhile the delay which has occurred in the adoption of measures by the Porte and the feeling of uncertainty which has unfortunately prevailed as to the real intentions of the Sultan, and which has been strengthened by the action of His Majesty in conferring on Arabi Pasha an important decoration and mark of his favour, make it, in the view of Her Majesty's Government, essential both for the assertion of the Sultan's own authority and of that of the Khedive that His Majesty should at once, and before the despatch of the troops, issue a Proclamation upholding Tewfik Pasha and denouncing Arabi as a rebel.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

I wish to ask the noble Earl one or two Questions. I desire to know, in the first place, whether he will lay upon the Table the "Self-Denying" Protocol, and the other Papers relating to the proceedings of the Conference, as they obviously bear upon the communication he has just read to the House? I would also ask the noble Earl, whether the Turkish offer is in any way limited by any of those restrictions, or conditions, which the Western Powers, and, I believe, the Conference, thought proper, at an earlier date, to impose upon the employment of troops by the Porte? I wish to know, further, whether any terms of a proposed surrender have reached any officer of Her Majesty's Government from Arabi Pasha?

EARL GRANVLLLE

My Lords, I will see what Papers I can lay before your Lordships. It will be my duty to give every information, except what is excluded by the conditions of the Conference. With regard to the second Question of the noble Marquess, I have to state that the Sultan's offer is a complete acceptance of the conditions which accompanied the communication of the Conference to the Porte on the subject. With regard to the third Question, I have to state that no formal communication has been received from Arabi Pasha. Informal communications have taken place during the past few days; but nothing of a formal character upon which we can rely, or anything which would justify us in relaxing the preparations now going on.

THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

I am encouraged to ask further, from the noble Earl, whether the acceptance by the Sultan of those conditions is a matter which the noble Earl infers from the language of the communication he has just road, or whether he has received separate information to that effect?

EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, the telegram I have read refers to a previous Circular, which explicitly accepted those conditions.