§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDONasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House Copies of the Conditions of Peace required by the Emperor of Russia which were communicated to the Earl of Derby by Count Schouvaloff in July 1877; of a Despatch from the Earl of Derby to Mr. Layard, dated the 28th day of July 1877, instructing him to sound the Sultan on the subject of possible terms of Peace; and, of Mr. Layard's reply reporting his interview with the Sultan on the subject?
§ MR. BOURKEIn reply to my hon. and gallant Friend, I have to state that the conditions of peace alluded to in the 1537 Question were communicated to Her Majesty's Government last July in the most confidential manner by the Russian Ambassador. It would not, therefore, be proper for Her Majesty's Government to lay them upon tike Table of the House; besides which they relate to a condition of things long since gone by, and therefore no practical benefit could result from producing them. With regard to the other two Questions which my hon. and gallant Friend has asked me, I think if he will look at the Paper, Turkey, No. 2, page 4, he will find there a despatch from the Earl of Derby to Mr. Layard, which contains practically the information in the other two despatches mentioned, and there is, therefore, no necessity for producing the Papers alluded to.
§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDONThere is nothing in the despatch as to Mr. Layard's interview with the Sultan.
§ MR. BOURKEI think there is, and I will read the despatch. The Earl of Derby, writing to Mr. Layard on December 25th last, said—
With reference to my despatch of the 24th instant, your Excellency will bear in mind that on the 28th July last, Her Majesty's Government authorized you confidentially to sound the Sultan on the subject of possible terms of peace, and to state that should His Majesty be disposed to open negotiations, you might assure him that he might rely upon the friendly offices of Her Majesty's Government, which would be exerted with a view to obtain for him the most favourable terms possible under the circumstances; but Her Majesty's Government were not disposed to take the initiative in proposing any conditions. Your Excellency replied that you had reason to believe that conditions of peace could not at that time be proposed or listened to, but that you had informed His Majesty that should there be a favourable opportunity for opening negotiations for peace, he might rely on the friendly offices of Her Majesty's Government. You added that you did not think that anything more could then be done. The language held by you to the Sultan was approved by Her Majesty's Government.