§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is the fact, as stated recently in telegrams from Constantinople published in the newspapers, 1241 that the Ottoman Government is arranging to bring into the country around Van, chiefly inhabited by Armenian Christians, large bodies of Circassians, and to settle them there; and, whether, if the fact be so, Her Majesty's Government will consider the propriety of pointing out to the Turkish Government the troubles, conflicts, and dangers to the peace of the East which are likely to result from the intrusion of fierce and predatory Mussulman tribes among a Christian population, and of dissuading the Ottoman Government from such a policy?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)We have received no information as to the matters alluded to in the Question of the hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. BRYCEsaid, he would repeat the Question in about a fortnight, when he hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would be in possession of the necessary information.