§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a Question with reference to the last part of his answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Bath (Mr. Hayter). He has said that the English Consul at Trebizond has informed Sir Austen Layard—[Mr. BOURKE: I said he had received a Petition.]—that the Lazes persisted in declaring they considered themselves under British protection. I beg to point out to the hon. 2022 Gentleman that if he leaves it there, it will have a very injurious effect; because it will appear as if the English Government accepted that situation contrary to the stipulations of the Berlin Treaty; and therefore I venture to ask him, Whether the English Government have sent any answer to the telegram? Otherwise, it will appear from his answer, as it now stands, that they are encouraging the belief that the English Government is supporting the Lazes in that pretension.
§ MR. BOURKEI cannot think that my hon. and learned Friend, or anyone else, would believe for a moment that the British Government have undertaken any responsibility with regard to the Lazes. The fact that the Lazes sent a Petition to Sir Austen Layard, saying that they will unfurl the British flag on the approach of the Russians to Batoum, and consider themselves under British protection does not, in my opinion, constitute any obligation whatever on the part of the British Government.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERThat is not exactly an answer to the Question of my hon. and learned Friend. I suppose no one in this House, whatever may be felt elsewhere, would, for a moment, think that the Government would accept this responsibility; but what I wish to ask is, Whether the Lazes have been informed that the responsibility will not be accepted, otherwise these poor men may be misled?
§ MR. BOURKEI must remind the House that the Question of the hon. and gallant Member for Bath (Mr. Hayter) was—
Whether the English Consul at Trebizond has informed Sir Austen Layard that the Lazes persist in declaring that they consider themselves under British protection, and that they will hoist the British flag on the advance of the Russians against Batoum?Therefore, the House will see that the answer I gave was a complete answer to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, and my hon. and learned Friend will admit, as well as the right hon. Gentleman, that the Question they have asked is a totally different Question. I think they may rest perfectly certain that Her Majesty's Government will take those steps with regard to this position which will be equally just to the Lazes and will save the Government against any misapprehension that may arise upon this 2023 subject. They will not encourage the Lazes to believe that they are under British protection; and the House may be perfectly certain that Her Majesty's Government will undertake no obligation of the character indicated by the hon. and learned Member.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI am afraid I must ask this Question. What was the date at which the information was received that the Petition had been sent from these men, and whether any answer has been sent or not?
§ MR. BOURKEIt is impossible for me to answer that Question off-hand. If Notice had been given, I should have been glad to answer it. The communication was received within the last few days, but I have not got it here.
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSurely, Sir, it is a very simple Question. Has any answer been sent? We will not ask any date, but simply whether any answer has been sent?
§ MR. BOURKEWe have only received a telegraphic message from Sir Austen Layard stating that this Petition had been received by the Consul at Trebizond. We have not yet got the Petition itself, and, therefore, we could not have answered it.