HC Deb 14 August 1878 vol 242 cc1949-51
MR. H. SAMUELSON

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can give the House any information as to the truth or falsehood of a statement, contained in a letter from Volo, dated 31st July, which has appearedin the public press, to the effect that the Turks were entrenching Armyro and Damoko, in Thessaly; that seven women and children have been killed and five wounded at Vardikoussa by Turkish troops under the Caimacam of Ellassona, and the village pillaged; and that an English Commissioner had been sent to inquire into the affair; whether the Commissioner, if sent, has reported; and whether his Report will be laid on the Table?

MR. BOURKE

Sir, I am very sorry to say that I did not see the hon. Member's Question until this morning, and the time which I have had to make all the inquiries desirable on the subject has been limited; but I have made considerable inquiries about it, and I can say that I do not find anything that can justify the statement which the hon. Member says has appeared in the public journals. With regard to the second part of the Question, which mentions an outrage by Turkish troops, I have looked through some Papers respecting a subject analogous to this. I must remind the House that this appears only to have taken place a fortnight ago, so that it is quite possible that we may not yet have received information which may eventually reach us. All I can say on the subject is that I do not find any account of an outrage of the kind mentioned by the hon. Gentleman which could justify the statement referred to in the Question. As to whether, supposing we do receive any information upon this particular alleged outrage, we should lay a Report on the subject on the Table, all I can say is that we know a great number of outrages have taken place, probably are taking place on both sides, and to present a Report on one particular outrage would be to give to the House and the country a very partial idea of what is really going on; but I do propose to lay on the Table Papers on the subject generally before the end of the Session. No doubt all the information we possess on the subject will be given in these Papers.

MR. H. SAMUELSON

I gave Notice openly in the House yesterday of the Question I have asked.

MR. BOURKE

I did not hear it.

MR. H. SAMUELSON

I should now like to ask the hon. Gentleman, If it is not true that Captain Sing has been sent out as a Commissioner, and who could have sent this Commissioner if not Her Majesty's Government?

MR. BOURKE

All I can say is that I know of no such Commissioner being sent.