§ SIR RICHARD TEMPLE (Worcester, Evesham)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government are able to afford information to this House regarding the origin and cause of recent events in Bulgaria, and regarding the development of those events as affecting the international position of the Bulgarian State?
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What further reports have been received from Her Majesty's accredited agents in Bulgaria, Servia, and Turkey, about the revolution alleged to have taken place on Saturday last, the 21st instant, which is stated to have resulted in the abdication of Prince Alexander; whether it is a fact that Russia, one of the Great Powers, has been an accessory in promoting the success of the popular undertaking in Bulgaria; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government purpose taking to vindicate British interests in the two recent infringements of the Treaty of Berlin by Russia, in Batoum and Bulgaria?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)In answering the hon. Member for Mid Cork (Dr. Tanner), I hope my hon. Friend the Member for South Worcestershire (Sir Richard Temple) will allow me to reply, at the same time, to his Questions on the same subjects. I have already stated to the House the occurrences of the 22nd of August—namely, the seizing of the Prince and his removal from the capital. It is now known that the act was committed by a small body of military officers with a detachment of soldiers. It was not till the evening that, after repeated attempts, a Provisional Government was formed. The Prime Minister, M. Karaveloff, firmly refused to take part in the movement. No communications of what passed could reach this country till Tuesday. It now appears that, on the regiments in the Provinces threatening to march on Sofia, the revolt, which Mr. Stephen, Her Majesty's Acting Agent and Consul Gene- 550 ral, calls "military," failed. The Provisional Government on Tuesday resigned; the military leader made submission to M. Karaveloff, who has resumed office, to save the honour of the country and preserve order, with full powers. On Monday loyal troops entered Sofia, the guard at the Palace was replaced, and the military conspirators were placed under arrest. News of public rejoicing was received from many quarters, especially from Philip-popolis, where the Consul General had reported on the 25th that the President of the National Assembly had published a general appeal to the loyalty of the nation, and universal enthusiasm prevailed. The Representatives of the Powers at Sofia mot on Tuesday and approved of the resumption of office by M. Karaveloff to preserve order. It is now known that Prince Alexander was placed on board of his own yacht in the Danube, and taken to Reni Russi in Bessarabia. We are informed by the Acting Consul General at Galatz that the Prince landed yesterday at 10 A.M., being given by the Russian authorities perfect liberty to proceed by such route as he preferred. The hon. Member for Mid Cork asks Questions which are based on the most inaccurate recital of the facts. The "undertaking" in Bulgaria has not, so far, been "successful;" it was not "popular;" and I do not know on what grounds he alleges against any Power an infringement of the Treaty of Berlin in connection with these events. My hon. Friend the Member for South Worcestershire will, I am sure, see that inasmuch as the events which I have described, as far as they are authentically known, were altogether in the nature of a surprise, I can give the House no satisfactory account of their origin and cause—and still less of their probable development. The quotation from The Times newspaper made by the hon. Member for Mid Cork (Dr. Tanner) appears to be a comment upon reports which had reached the writer. I do not think that the House will desire that I should express concurrence or otherwise in such comments or inferences. I have stated the facts as known to the Government. We have no knowledge of the report stated in the second Question. The third Question is one of anticipation of future events, and of the course of Her Majesty's 551 Government in a hypothetical case, which I cannot undertake to answer.