MR. OWEN LEWISasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If there is any truth in the following statement, which appeared in the "Pall Mall Gazette" of the 12th instant:—
The distress among the Poles in Turkey, and especially in Constantinople, is reported to he terrible. A recent letter from Lemherg says,—'They have no pecuniary means whatever, as they have for some time not received any pay or pension. It is, therefore, not possible for them to escape; and, if they remain till the Russians come, a certain death on the gallows awaits them. Many have already perished in this way; among them are not only such as have served in a military capacity in the Turkish army, but also surgeons, who, being attached to the hospitals, have trusted to the Geneva Convention to protect them. According to our latest information, five Polish surgeons 1731 have already been hanged by the Russians—two in Asia and three in Europe—besides several Polish officers and soldiers who were taken prisoners;'and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government can see any way of rescuing these unfortunate men from such a fate?
MR. BOUEKEIn answer to the Question of the hon. Member, I have to state that we have received Reports from Constantinople stating that certain Poles who have fallen into the hands of the Russian authorities have been hanged; but Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that we should not be justified in laying those Reports before Parliament until we have received further information upon the subject from Constantinople, which the Government have asked for. We have also heard that a Petition has been presented to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople asking for British protection for certain Poles who are anxious to go to some place of safety in case the Russians should occupy Constantinople, and who have not the means of doing so. Her Majesty's Ambassador has been told that it would not be proper for him to afford British protection to foreigners. At the same time, he has been instructed to afford them his good offices, in case any of them were in distress, and were anxious to leave Constantinople to go to some place of safety where they could carry on their ordinary occupation.
MR. OWEN LEWISMay I ask whether the Poles that have been hanged were acting as surgeons attached to the hospitals?
§ MR. BOURKEThat is one of the statements upon which we have not had accurate information. We have asked for it.
§ MR. JOHN BRIGHTI wish to ask whether Her Majesty's Government have received any information whatever? If you have not, we had better not let the story go abroad. If you have, let us have it.
§ MR. BOURKEI can only repeat the Answer I gave. I do not think the right hon. Gentleman heard it. I said that Reports had reached Her Majesty's Government; that we thought we should not be justified in laying those Reports before Parliament until we received further information, which we have asked for.