§ MR. RYLANDSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with reference to the statement contained in. Prince Gortchakow's Despatch of the 28th day of July 1876, to the effect that the Acting Russian Consul at Philipopolis had reported facts connected with the Bulgarian massacres, subsequently confirmed by the English Commission, which were also communicated by General Ignatiew to his colleagues, including the English Ambassador, Whether the Foreign Office can ascertain from Sir Henry Elliot, he being now in this Country for the purpose of reporting on the situation, the dates upon which information was given to him by General Ignatiew of the Reports of the Russian Consul at Philippopolis in relation to the 1576 Bulgarian massacres, and also particulars of the facts contained in the Reports of the Russian Consul so communicated to Sir Henry Elliot; and, whether it is true, as stated by the correspondent of the "Daily News," that on or about May 20th the Greek Minister at Constantinople communicated to Sir Henry Elliot the Reports received from the Greek Consul at Philippopolis, giving details of the massacre at Batak, and that about the same period similar reports from the Austrian and French Consuls at Philippopolis, confirming those of the Greek Consul, were also communicated to Sir Henry Elliot?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to the hon. Member's first Question, I have to state that Sir Henry Elliot says he is perfectly unable to state the dates when he received any information on the subject of the Bulgarian massacres. At that time the Ambassadors were in the habit of meeting daily, and when they met they communicated to each other any information they had received; but Sir Henry Elliot has no recollection whatever of any information being given to him by General Ignatief before the massacres were publicly known. With regard to the second part of the Question, the hon. Member asks for particulars of the facts contained in the reports of the Russian Consul communicated to Sir Henry Elliot. No such reports were communicated to Sir Henry Elliot, and therefore he cannot tell what the facts were to which the hon. Member alludes. The hon. Member asks in the last part of his Question whether it was true, as stated by the correspondent of The Daily News, that on or about May the 20th the Greek Minister at Constantinople communicated to Sir Henry Elliot the reports received from the Greek Consul at Philippopolis, giving details of the massacre at Batak? That statement I have to state is entirely untrue. He then asks whether about the same period similar reports from the Austrian and French Consuls at Philippopolis, confirming those of the Greek Consul, were also communicated to Sir Henry Elliot? That statement is equally unfounded.