§ MR. PELLATTsaid, he would beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Control whether, in the event of peace with Persia, any representations would be made to the Persian Government by the English Government in favour of the Nestorian Christians, who, since the withdrawal of the British Legation, had suffered severe persecution, had had fifty schools suppressed, the teaching of the English language prohibited, and people ordered, on pain of imprisonment or the bastinado, not to enter their own churches?
MR. VERNON SMITHsaid, that no information had been received at the Foreign Office relative to any persecution of the Nestorian Christians. Instructions, however, had been sent out to Mr. Murray, 2052 requesting him to use endeavours to ameliorate the condition of those Nestorian Christians. As soon as the treaty of peace was ratified, fresh instructions would be sent out on the subject.
§ MR. WARNERsaid, he wished to know whether any influence hitherto exercised for the protection of native Christians in Persia would be in any way restricted or interfered with by the recent treaty? Was there any clause in the treaty binding the British Government to abstain from such protection for the future?
MR. VERNON SMITHsaid, he could not now go into the terms of the treaty, which would shortly be laid before Parliament.