MR. GLADSTONEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When it is likely that the account of arrests, sentences, and execution of sentences, on account of the Bulgarian rising and its suppression, for which Her Majesty's Government telegraphed to Constantinople on or soon after the 12th of February, will be in the possession of the House; and, whether Her Majesty's Government are in possession of any information proving that, at the commencement of that rising, six Turkish policemen were burnt slowly to death in quicklime by the insurgents?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply, Sir, to the first part of the Question of the right hon. Gentleman, in reference to the account which we have been endeavouring to get for some time in consequence of a Return which he moved for, I have to state that we have received the Returns with regard to the sentences and executions of the prisoners under the commissions held at Philippopolis, Sophia, and Adrianople. Mr. Jocelyn has been using his best endeavours to get at the facts, and we have received several telegrams from him on the subject of obtaining further information as to other places. The Returns which we have already received will be laid on the Table whenever the right hon. Gentleman expresses a wish on the subject; the others will be as soon as possible. In regard to the second part of the Question, the House is, no doubt, aware that in the Blue Books that were presented last year, Mr. Monson reported to our agent at Ragusa, in April, 1876, that it was stated in that place that some Zaptiehs had been burnt alive; but that relates to a 1217 different part of the country to that which the right hon. Gentleman referred to. With regard to Bulgaria, we did hear that in September last, at Bilovar, some Zaptiehs were killed at the time that the burning of the station took place. There was also a report, which was mentioned at the time, that some Zaptiehs had been covered with petroleum and burnt; but it will be in the recollection of the House that Mr. Baring's remarks upon that subject showed the story to be utterly untrue. In regard to Zaptiehs being burnt to death in quicklime, I cannot find anything in the Papers relating to the subject that have been presented to the House.
MR. GLADSTONEI wish to ask the hon. Gentleman, in regard to the particulars mentioned by Mr. Monson, referred to in the report regarding the affairs at Ragusa, Whether he has provided us with all the information, which seems to have been rather undefined, as to time and place; and whether he has been able to verify or to disprove that report, or can afford any clue by which we may clear up those points?
§ MR. BOURKENo, Sir. The only information is contained in the despatches to which I have already referred, and in those despatches it will be remembered there is an explanation by the Turkish Government of the reasons for their having been obliged to resort to the appointment of Bashi-Bazouks.