THE MARQUESS OF SALISBUEYsaid, he supposed the House might assume, from the absence of the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that the Government had no announcement to make as to the progress of the negotiations with France concerning the proposed Conference on Egypt?
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)said, he had no information to give. He felt sure that his noble Friend would have been present if it were possible to make such announcement.
§ Subsequently,
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYI understand from my noble Friend (Lord Carlingford) that the purport of the reply he made to the Question of the noble Marquess opposite (the Marquess of Salisbury) concerning the communications with France, was that my noble 346 Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Earl Granville) was not in a position at this moment to make any announcement. I am sorry I was not here in time to answer the Question of the noble Marquess, in the absence of Earl Granville. I have to inform the House that the communications with France have resulted in our coming to terms with the French Government, and that this arrangement will now be immediately communicated to the other Powers. It would not be courteous to them to make any statement until they have had the opportunity of considering them; and, therefore, it is not intended to make any communication to Parliament before next Monday.
§ THE MARQUESS OP SALISBURYDo I understand, then, that no information can be given to Parliament until the other Powers have all expressed their opinion Aye or No upon these proposals?
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYI did not make any such statement. What I did say was, that it would not be courteous to the other Powers to make any statement until Monday next.