§ MR. J. HOLMSasked the Secretary of State for War, If his attention has been called to the Consular Return, No. 3, 1875, presented to this House; and, if he will be good enough to inform 825 the House what Consular posts have been abolished in the disturbed provinces of European Turkey since the 1st of January 1872?
MR. GATHORNE HARDYI am at some loss to understand why this Question has been put specially to me. In answer to the hon. Gentleman, I may say that what I said on a former occasion was in answer to what had been said as to there being a network of Consuls and Vice Consuls all over the European Provinces of Turkey. I said that I believed that they had been diminished, and I find they have been. In two instances the Consuls have been abolished, and in a third instance it has been made an unpaid place. I said nothing about the disturbed districts. What I referred to was a despatch of Sir Henry Elliot, dated July 14, 1876, in which he said—
I can add little to the statements in my despatch of the 6th instant. There is no British Consular Agent except at Adrianople, Rustchuk, and Bourgas, and they have seldom been able to guarantee the truth of the reports that reached them.Again—I have not been able to verify the reports of cases of wholesale slaughter which have been brought forward.These are the Reports I referred to. The Consuls now acting in the Provinces are the same as were appointed in 1872. Unfortunately, previously to 1872, the Consul at Philippopolis was removed, or there would have been earlier information of the events that took place in that district in the spring of last year.
MR. GLADSTONEIs it not the case that the Consul at Adrianople was, unfortunately, not in full possession of the power of bodily locomotion, and was, consequently, not able to pay visits to the disturbed districts?