§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSrose to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government are now making arrangements for the occupation of Suakin by a Foreign civilized Power; and, if so, when such arrangements are likely to be completed, and with what Power they are being made? He said that very considerable interest had been shown in this matter since the debate which took place some 1012 days ago, and the very remarkable speech of the noble Duke (the Duke of Argyll) had had a great effect in rousing public attention to this matter. Before this Government came into Office, and when he was in "another place," frequent complaints were made that the then Government did not take Parliament into their confidence on questions of foreign affairs. In these circumstances he thought they were not asking too much of the Government to take their Lordships so far into their confidence as to say before they separated what were the real intentions of the Government with respect to Suakin. He asked the Question because there appeared to be much doubt as to the intention of the Government. As far as they had been able to make out, it seemed to be the intention of the Government to hand Suakin over to some civilized Power; but they read daily in the Press telegrams to the effect that the Government did not intend at present to hand this port over to a civilized Power. He believed that public feeling was beginning to be roused as to the importance of this question. Two nights ago there appeared in an evening newspaper, which was a strong supporter of the Government on Russian questions, an article in which the point referring to the disposal of Suakin was happily put—he meant The Pall Mall Gazette. It was a notice to the effect that Suakin "was to be given away;" that it commanded the road to India; indeed, this advertisement put the whole question in a nutshell. The Pall Mall Gazette was not alone in looking upon this Red Sea port as of importance to us in our communications with India. He found that Lord Hartington, in the House of Commons, made a statement to the effect that the ports of the Red Sea ought not to be in a position to tempt any other European Power to occupy them. He was at a loss to understand why, if that was the sound view held by the Government in March, 1884, the converse doctrine now held by them was the sound one. It might be that the public were now weary of the fruitless slaughter which had taken place in the Soudan; but wait until Suakin was again besieged by Osman Digna, wait until the friendly tribes who had trusted us had been slaughtered by the Hadendowas, and he was certain, when that state of things came about, 1013 that this arrangement with respect to Suakin would be viewed from one end of the Kingdom to the other with feelings of shame, indignation, and disgrace.
§ EARL GRANVILLEI was not in the least aware that The Pall Mall Gazette was a blind supporter of Her Majesty's Government, especially on Russian questions. I regret that the noble Earl, with all his eloquence, should not have given us his own words instead of reading a long leading article which many of your Lordships, no doubt, have had the opportunity of perusing. The noble Earl has done what he has often done before—he has given Notice of one Question, and he asks another Question instead. In his speech the noble Lord asked as to the future policy of the Government with regard to Suakin. I am perfectly ready to answer, not only his speech, but his Question. The whole question of Suakin is under the careful consideration of Her Majesty's Government. It is a difficult and complicated question. With regard to the Question put on the Paper, my answer is a very simple one. There have been communications with Turkey on the subject of Suakin, which were presented last year, and the noble Earl has the opportunity of reading them in the Blue Book. The other communications with Turkey, not yet attended with any result, will be presented in the Papers to be immediately laid before your Lordships. There have been no negotiations of any sort with any other Power.
§ VISCOUNT BURYAre we to understand that Turkey is the civilized Power to which Lord Hartington referred in the other House when he said that we were holding Suakin till arrangements were made forgiving it up to some civilized Power?
§ EARL GRANVILLEI have nothing to add to the statement I have just made.