§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now give the House any fuller information as to the deplorable conflict which took place in the end of June at Erzeroum, in Armenia, due to the desecration of a church by the Local Turkish Authorities, a conflict in which a very large number of Christians are reported to have been slaughtered by a mob composed in large part of Turkish soldiers; and whether any Report, and of what date, has been received from Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroum upon this subject?
§ * SIR J. FERGUSSONLater Reports have been received up to July 5 from Her Majesty's Consul at Erzeroum, but not differing as to the occurrences of June 20 and following days from those to which I referred in my answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-upon-Trent. Those Reports do not warrant the view of those occurrences taken in this question, but there was a lamentable loss of life and subsequent rioting. Order is stated to have been restored. A Court was inquiring into the occurrences, and when the reinforcements, which were near at hand, should arrive it was expected that the apprehensions which were still felt would be allayed. As I have already stated, Papers will be presented, when they will afford a satisfactory account of what has taken place.
§ * SIR J. FERGUSSONThese matters are still under inquiry, and it is impossible to say when the Papers will be ready.