§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government have reason to believe in the accuracy of a telegram in the "Daily News" of Wednesday, July 26th, dated Belgrade, Tuesday afternoon, announcing "the failure of the Servian plans;" whether the time has not now arrived when, in the interests of European peace and civilisation, as well as of the independence of the Ottoman Empire, the Great Powers, parties to the Treaty of 1856, may, in Congress or otherwise, actively mediate to put an end to the deplorable state of things now existing in the Sclavonic Provinces of Turkey; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will submit to the other Powers, including the Sublime Porte, proposals to this effect?
§ MR. DISRAELIMr. Speaker, we have never been able to obtain any accurate information as to the plans of the Servian campaign; and therefore I cannot give any opinion as to the failure of those plans. With regard to the other very important inquiry of my hon. Friend, I feel it is, perhaps, impossible—certainly most difficult—in merely answering a Question, to enter into a discussion of such magnitude. My hon. Friend will recollect there is a fair prospect, I hope, of our having an ample discussion upon these matters connected with what is proceeding in Turkey; and I shall be quite happy then, not only to hear the arguments of my hon. Friend, but to address myself generally to the question.