1899.] Debate on the Address. [17
ment for its action, they had to bear in mind that such an announcement was fraught with very far-reaching consequences for the Queen's dominions. He doubted whether the Soudan might not prove too great a strain for the British Army, and hinted at the dangers inseparable from the occupation of a Mahomedan country by Mahomedan troops. With regard to our position in China, and how far we were able to actively support the claims and rights of our countrymen against Russian and foreign influences, the country was kept very much in the dark. There was even more mystery about the arrangements said to exist between Great Britain and Germany with regard to the maintenance of their mutual and several interests in South - Eastern Africa, and he trusted that the Foreign Secretary would be able to clear up the doubts which had been expressed as to the nature of the understanding. Lord Salisbury, in reply, following the line of the Opposition leader, confined his speech wholly to an explanation of the foreign policy of the Government during the recess. Inci- dentally he thought Lord Kimbetley's criticism of the word " subjugation " hypercritical, for which he might have sub- stituted the word " conquered." We held the dominions of the Khalifa by two titles. We held them as forming part of the possessions of Egypt, but we also held them by the more simple, less complicated, and much better understood title of conquest. Lord Salisbury went on to express a hope that the construction of a railway coming up from the south would contribute to the ultimate establishment of the state of things which they desired to see restored. He declined to give details of stipulations with Germany, which, for the time at least, required no action on the part of Great Britain. As to our future policy in China, we had to deal there, as elsewhere, with a Government which was a " going concern/' and we had only to take care that the treaties which had been concluded with us were fairly carried out and that the interests of our nation were duly regarded. " If the noble Lord wants to know what is the destiny which is impending over China I will ask him to reveal to me what is going on in a certain palace in Pekin, and perhaps on a certain island in that palace. The future of China does not lie in our hands, but in those of the governing body of China.' ' Meantime the Government would do the best it could for British interests, and so far there had been no want of success on the part of the Government. " I believe, if you carefully examine it, you will find that during the past year the advan- tages which this country has gained in China are not only greater than have been gained in a similar time before, but are also greater comparatively than have fallen to the lot of any other country, and with that we must be satisfied." The address was then agreed to, no reference having been made to the domestic legislation of the session.
In the House of Commons, before proceeding to regular
B
