§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, seeing the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his place, I will venture to ask him the Question of which I have given him private Notice. It is, Whether he can give your Lordships any information with respect to that unhappy incident at Madagascar; and whether any diplomatic steps have been taken by the Government in consequence which it may be convenient for him to relate to the House; and, also, whether the Government have taken any measures for strengthening Her Majesty's Naval Forces in those waters?
§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, with regard to the first portion of the Question which the noble Marquess has asked me, I have to state that we have received no information except that which has already been given in "another place," and which your Lordships have had an opportunity of reading. We are informed by telegraph that despatches are on their way; but, of course, they will not be immediately available. I may mention that as soon as I got the first telegram on the subject, I had, within a very few minutes, an opportunity of speaking to the French Chargé d'Affaires, and I told him the substance of the report I had received, and requested him to communicate by telegram with his Government, stating the concern with which I had read the report. I also requested him 1173 to ask immediately for all the information the French Government had received, and for any explanation they could give of so serious an incident. I also sent a similar message to Lord Lyons, and have received an answer to the effect that he had seen M. Challemel-Lacour, who told him that he was absolutely without information on the subject, but that he would not lose a minute in telegraphing to Zanzibar, and would use all the means in his power to obtain information; and he added that it was only extreme circumstances that would justify the removal of the Consul while in a state of illness. He told Lord Lyons that he (Lord Lyons) could not be more anxious for full information than he was himself. I had also a similar communication, but rather shorter, from the French Chargé d'Affaires. With regard to the second portion of the Question, whether we had taken any steps to strengthen our Naval Forces off Madagascar? I am sure the noble Marquess will agree with me that on that point I should not make any announcement at all that might lead to any misconstruction, more especially as I have no reason to question the readiness of the French Government to do what we ourselves would do in similar circumstances—namely, to give full satisfaction to any country for any unjustifiable incident that might happen through our means in any part of the world.