§ EARL DE LA WARRMy Lords, I wish to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are in possession of information relative to the state of health of Arabi Pasha in Ceylon; and, if so, whether they will lay that information upon the Table of the House? I am induced to ask this question in consequence of reports which have reached this country, and which I believe from private information to be correct, that Arabi Pasha is suffering greatly from the effects of the climate of Ceylon. It will be in the recollection of your Lordships that Arabi was banished to Ceylon for the crime—if it can be called a crime—of fighting for the independence of his country; and I hope to hear from the Government that they consider that the so-called crime has been now atoned for, and that the aged Egyptian exile may be allowed to end his days in his own country and among his own people.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)My Lords, the question of the noble Earl raises somewhat extensive speculations on the subject of political ethics. We have heard a great deal lately about the difference between political and ordinary offences; but I never expected to hear the distinction strained so far as to make Arabi Pasha an innocent man. The crime for which he was tried, and for which he was condemned to death, was not that of fighting for his country, but that of rebelling, he being a soldier, against his Sovereign. He was condemned for military mutiny, and if he had been a less distinguished person he would undoubtedly have been shot. The Government of that day, for reasons which I will not in the least contest, which I have no doubt they considered 1502 sufficient, thought it desirable to press on the Egyptian Government that the sentence should be commuted, and the sentence was commuted to perpetual banishment. I do not in the least impugn the wisdom or discretion of their action; but I cannot admit that Arabi Pasha is, among the other offenders, entitled to the very special sympathy which my noble Friend has assigned to him. But I quite agree that the banishment should be simply banishment; that it ought not to be banishment to a climate which would seriously endanger the offender's health. That was not in the terms of the original sentence. When, therefore, it was shown to the Egyptian Government that there were persons who believed that the health of Arabi Pasha and of some of his companions was being seriously affected by their residence in Ceylon a medical inquiry was ordered to be held. A Medical Board was appointed last autumn to examine and inquire into the statement. They did examine, and their Report was that the climate of Ceylon had exercised no injurious effect upon the health of the banished persons. In these circumstances, it did not appear necessary to Her Majesty's Government to urge the Egyptian Government to make any change in the policy they were pursuing. The particular document in which the opinion of the Medical Board is recorded is not, I think, in this country. I think it was sent to Egypt, and is there now; but I will inquire of Sir Evelyn Baring whether there would be any difficulty in producing it; and, unless I hear that there are reasons which I do not expect to hear, I should be very happy to lay it on the Table of the House.
§ EARL DE LA WARRMay I ask the noble Marquess what was the date of that Report?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYIt was made last autumn; but I cannot give the precise date.