§ MR. SYDNEY GEDGE (Stockport)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the detailed and precise information given by Mrs. Bishop as to the failure of the Sublime Porte to carry out (in accordance with the 61st Article of the Treaty of Berlin, 1878) the ameliorations and
Reforms demanded by local requirements in the provinces inhabited by the Armenians and to guarantee their security against the Circassians and Kurds, and to periodically make known the steps taken to this effect by the Powers, who would superintend their application,from which failure has resulted within the last few months grievous oppression, rapine, and murder of the Armenians resident in the North-Eastern Provinces of Asia Minor, and in view of the expected armed interference by Russia, Her Majesty's Government will take into-consideration the duty of applying practically, in concert with the other Powers, the adequate careful provision against future misgovernment in those provinces which was made by that Treaty, as started by the Marquess of Salisbury in his Despatch to the Secretary of State, enclosing a copy thereof, and dated Berlin, 13th July, 1878?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N. E.Her 1061 Majesty's Government have no ground for believing that the European Powers would be willing to join in a forcible intervention in Armenia. Her Majesty's Ambassador at the Porte has always reminded the Turkish Government of its Treaty obligations in this matter whenever such a representation appeared to him to be required, or to be likely to lead to practical advantage.
§ MR. SYDNEY GEDGEPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman will think that the information which has unfortunately come to us recently may show the need of redress?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONNo, Sir; I do not think that any change has taken place.