§ MR. FRESHFIELDasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the attention of the 860 Secretary of State has been directed to the circumstances under which a Greek vessel named the "Ermes," laden with barley and bound for the United Kingdom, was forcibly seized, unloaded, and detained by the Turkish authorities at Silistria as she was proceeding down the river on the 28th April last, before the expiry of the time allowed for neutral vessels to quit the river; and. whether he will cause inquiries to be made on the subject, and have measures taken for the restitution of the ship and cargo, or for compensation for the loss inflicted?
§ MR. BOURKESir, the only information on the matter which Her Majesty's Government possess is in a letter to Lord Derby from the insurers of the cargo, which is now under consideration. As the vessel is a Greek vessel, Her Majesty's Government cannot interfere on behalf of it.