§ MR. LEVESON-GOWERI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Fnreign Affairs whether it is the fact, as stated by the Daily News correspondent at Erivan, in the issue of the 4th instant, that Martini-Henry rifles have been distributed by orders from Constantinople to the Kurds of Moosh, Bitlis, Van, Bayazid, and Alashgerd; whether the Turkish troops, in obedience to their instructions, shoot down any Armenians found in possession of firearms; whether the arming of Mussulmans and dis- 1909 armament of the Christians in Bulgaria immediately preceded and occasioned the massacres in that country in 1876; and whether Her Majesty's Government propose to warn the Porte of the probable consequences of similar action in Armenia?
§ * SIR J. FERGUSSONWe have received no information of the statements mentioned in the first and second paragraphs. As to the third, full particulars of the events of 1876 in Bulgaria will be found in the Blue Book presented to Parliament at the time. There might be much said for and against such a statement. As to the fourth paragraph, I have already stated that I must decline to give any particulars as to communication which Her Majesty's Government may consider it expedient to make to the Porte.