HC Deb 26 February 1877 vol 232 cc1021-3
MR. ANDERSON

I beg, Sir, to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs a Question of which I have given him Private Notice, and which I ask in consequence of statements which appear in The Daily News to-day, which I have every reason to believe are well-founded —namely, Whether Her Majesty's Government have any knowledge of one or more Petitions from the inhabitants of Tatar - Bazardjik, or other Bulgarian towns, addressed to the European Powers or their Representatives at the late Conference, stating, among other things, that they have no faith in the new Constitution, although the Turkish authorities are compelling them to sign papers approving of it; and, also, whether any such Petitions have been received by the Government, and whether the Government will lay them on the Table?

MR. BOURKE

The hon. Member has mentioned in his Question a paragraph in The Daily News, and I have compared the Petition which is in The Daily News to-day with one which reached the Foreign Office on the 20th, and it seems to be the same document. In answer to that part of the Question, therefore, I have to say that the Foreign Office have seen that Petition, and it is now going to Constantinople. There will, of course, be no objection to lay it on the Table with the rest of the Papers which will be placed before the House in due time on the full subject of Turkish affairs.

MR. ANDERSON

Is that the only one?

MR. BOURKE

That is the only one upon that subject which we have received.

Afterwards,

MR. ANDERSON

I rise to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, If I was correct in understanding him to say that he had sent that Petition to the Turkish Government at Constantinople, and, if so, if he has sent all the names?

MR. BOURKE

No, Sir, I did not say to the Turkish Government at Constantinople. I said to Constantinople, and I hope the House will only suppose from that that they were sent to our Chargé d'Affaires at Constantinople.

MR. ANDERSON

With the names?

MR. GLADSTONE

I am anxious not to misunderstand the hon. Gentleman. He used some words to my hon. Friend which appeared to me to signify, and I wish to ask, whether we are to understand that they did signify, that the Government was going to lay further Papers on the Table with respect to Bulgaria.

MR. BOURKE

What I stated was, that the hon. Member's Question related to Bulgaria, and that other Papers on that subject would be laid on the Table with other Papers bearing on the whole question which are in course of preparation. We have already laid two or three of these Papers on the Table; but I think it will be admitted that it is not convenient that we should go on laying Papers on the Table one after another, in this manner, and, therefore, I can only say that the Papers are being prepared, and that they will be presented when the Secretary of State considers it right in the interests of the public that they should be presented.

MR. ANDERSON

What I wish to know is, whether the names of those who signed the Paper in question are to be held confidential, or whether they are to be made known to the Turkish Government?

MR. BOURKE:

I can only state what I stated before—that the Petition, with the names appended, will be sent to our Chargé d'Affaires at Constantinople; and, of course, the names being attached, it will be presented in that form.

MR. ANDERSON

Is the Chargé d'Affaires so instructed— [" Oh, oh! "] I want to know whether the names are to be kept confidential by our Chargé d'Affaires?

MR. BOURKE

I have not the slightest objection to answer the question; but I think it would be better if the hon. Member would follow the usual practice and give Notice of it.

MR. ANDERSON

Then I give Notice for to-morrow.