Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎141r] (281/442)

1923 Supply (Committee). 10 July 1912 . Foreign Office. 1924
The PRIME MINISTER: I hope in the
first week in October.
Indian Budget.
46. Mr. PALMER asked whether the
Indian Budget will be taken before the
Recess ?
The PRIME MINISTER: Yes, Sir.
Finance Bill.
48. Mr. HICKS BEACH asked whether
the Prime Minister proposes to take the
Second Reading and remaining stages of
the Finance Bill before the Adjournment
of the House in August ?
The PRIME MI NISTER : I have already
stated that I would do so.
Supply (Scottish Estimates).
52. Mr. EUGENE WASON asked if the
Prime Minister can state on what day
Scottish Estimates will be taken?
The PRIME MINISTER: I cannot at
present fix a definite day, but it will be
very soon.
Mr. C. E. PRICE: Whenever a day is
allotted will the Prime Minister see that
it is wholly devoted to the consideration
of the Scottish Estimates and not part of
it devoted to private business ?
The PRIME MINISTER: I have no
authority over that.
Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAY: Will the
right hon. Gentleman endeavour to secure
that it is not the last day of the Session ?
The PRIME MINISTER: I hope it will
be long before that.
PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS
(BELFAST).
Mr. W. THORNE: May I ask the Prime
Minister if he is aware that the Ulster
men in Belfast are anticipating the 12th
July by making brutal attacks on the
Catholics in the shipyards ?
SUPPLY. —[Fourteenth Allotted Day.]
Civil Services and Revenue Departments
Estimates, 1912-13.
Considered in Committee.
[Mr. Maclean in the Chair.]
Class 2.—Foreign Office.
Motion made, and Question proposed,
5. “ That a sum, not exceeding £38,428,
be granted to His Majesty, to complete
the sum necessary to defray the Charge
which will come in course of payment
during the year ending on the 31st day of
March, 1913, for the Salaries and Expenses
of the Department of His Majesty’s Secre
tary of State for Foreign Affairs.”—
[Note.—£30,000 has been voted on
account.]
EARL of RONALDSHAY: I beg to
move to reduce the Vote by £100.
I hope it will not be assumed that I
am hostile to the principles of the right
hon. Gentleman's policy, because such an
assumption would indeed be wholly in
correct. I support the main lines of the
right hon. Gentleman’s policy, and I
venture to congratulate him upon his
success in preserving the continuity of
the foreign policy of this country. Our
foreign policy to-day is based upon the
Triple Entente. It is quite true the
foundations of that policy were paid by
the right hon. Gentleman’s predecessor.
The right hon. Gentleman proceeded to
build upon the foundations which he
found, and he has succeeded in raising a
superstructure upon those foundations
which has already stood the test of no
inconsiderable strain. It is hardly neces
sary for me to reopen the questions which
we may hope have been finally closed,
but everybody who followed the course of
events in Europe which led up to the
Moroccan crisis of last year must know
perfectly well that the structure under
went very considerable strain, and must
know equally well that it proved quite
equal to bearing that strain. That being
so, it is obviously incumbent upon the
right hon. Gentleman to do nothing which
could in any way impair the relations which
happily exist between this country and
France and Russia. On the other, we
should take any reasonable opportunity
which presents itself of cementing and
improving those good relations. The
whole keystone of our foreign policy to
day is to be found in a closer understand
ing between this country and France and
Russia. Clearly if you move the keystone
of the structure, the whole edifice must
inevitably topple to the ground. The
right hon. Gentleman has been at very
considerable pains to prove to both
France and Russia the sincerity of our
goodwill towards them, and I think it is
reasonable to ask on our part that they
should in their turn reciprocate these
demonstrations of our goodwill. Gener-