§ MR. D. JENKINSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, seeing that hostilities have broken out between Russia and Turkey, Her Majesty's Government has obtained the consent of the Porte to sending a sufficient naval force into the Black Sea, in addition to the two gunboats in the Danube, for the protection of the important British interests at stake in those waters; and if any vessels have been already despatched for this purpose; and, whether Her Majesty's Government can state if the Porto is in possession of a sufficient naval force along the Russian coasts of the Black Sea to render effective the blockade proclaimed in the Circular of the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, dated Constantinople, May 3rd?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that no steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to send a naval force into the Black Sea. Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that, were they to send a naval force to the Black Sea, such an act might be subject to much misrepresentation, and might lead to serious results. Therefore, they do not mean to send a greater force than now exists there—namely, the two gunboats which 619 are entitled to be there under the Treaty of Paris and under the Danubian Commission; and also the despatch boats, which are at the disposal of the Embassy at Constantinople. With regard to the last part of the Question of the hon. Member, no information has reached Her Majesty's Government on that subject, and no representation has been made to the Government as to the insufficiency of the Turkish Fleet in the Black Sea to constitute an efficient blockade.