§ MR. H. B. SHERIDANasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether any and what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in its communications with Russia and Turkey on the subject of the Treaty of San Stefano, involving, as such Treaty does, the alienation of lands at present belonging to the Ottoman Empire, to protect the interests of the English bondholders, to whom such lands are pledged; whether, considering that at least one hundred millions sterling, the part of the Turkish 961 debt estimated to be held in England, was advanced to the Turkish Government on the faith of the Treaties of 1856 and 1871, by which Treaties the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Dominions was guaranteed by the six Great Powers of Europe, including Russia, Her Majesty's Government will ask the Governments of Austria, France, Italy, and Germany to co-operate with Her Majesty's Government for the protection of the interests of the English and European bondholders; and, considering that the bonds and mortgages of the English creditors are secured on the present Revenues, Taxes, Customs, Tithes, and Duties of the Ottoman Empire, and that the land, and the whole Imperial resources are specially pledged and mortgaged for the repayment of this debt, Her Majesty's Government will, if necessary, represent to Russia and Turkey that, in accordance with the recent practice of the Great Powers, any Lands, Taxes, Duties, or Customs alienated from Turkey must be charged with its fair and proper proportion of the debt due to the Foreign bondholders; whether, in the event of a Congress being held, and one of the points for consideration being the separation from Turkey of some of her richest and most productive provinces in Europe and in Asia, Her Majesty's Government will represent, and, if necessary, urge upon the assembled Powers the rights and claims of the English and Foreign creditors upon such land and provinces; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will further, if necessary, represent that any war indemnity agreed to be paid to Russia by Turkey, or any instalment thereof, cannot be taken out of Customs, Taxes, or Duties already pledged and mortgaged to the Foreign bondholders until the dividends annually due to the mortgagees are first paid?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER,in reply, said, he did not wonder at the hon. Member having put the Question, or at the length at which it appeared on the Paper, considering the interest which was generally felt in the subject to which it referred. The Question was undoubtedly one of great importance; but he had a very brief answer to make to it, which was that at the present time he was not able to say anything definite as to the steps which would be taken in the matter.