§ MR. DUFFsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any detailed account of the recent events at Belgrade has been received by the Government; and if so, whether he has any objection to state the substance of it to the House?
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, the Government had received further information on this subject since a similar question was put to him a short time ago. It appeared that Mr. Consul Fonblanque was, as usual, taking a walk on the ramparts, and, happening to sit down on a wall which skirted them, he was spoken to by a Turkish soldier in the fortress above, warning him to go away. Mr. Fonblanque, knowing that he had a right to be there, pointed to his cab, which bore some sort of Consular badge, and called out that he was the English Consul. He thought nothing more of it, but a short time after, the Turkish soldier having left his post, and given his musket to the sentinel at the gate, attacked Mr. Fonblanque with his sabre and a heavy stone, and inflicted on him great injuries. So severe Were these that he was confined to his bed, and had since been obliged to apply for leave of absence to obtain medical aid, and to take the benefit of the waters. The Turkish 395 Government had not only shown a cordial desire to give every satisfaction for this occurrence, but had manifested a determination to probe the matter to the bottom, and to punish the offender. It was plain that this feeling was not confined to the soldier himself, but was shared in by his comrades, for an attempt was made subsequently to cut down the flag at the Consular residence. The Turkish Government was now instituting a most searching inquiry, and no doubt the result would be the detection and summary punishment of the offenders.