§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he can state what protection would be given to British vessels in the Black Sea in case the Dardanelles were closed during hostilities between this Country and Turkey; also, whether there is any truth in the report that the Governments of Austria, France, and Germany have made representations to the Government of Turkey, on the subject of the closing of the Dardanelles, in case of hostilities between this Country and Russia; and, if he can give any information to the House on the substance of such communications? He would not press for an answer to the first Question if it were inconsistent with the public interests.
MR. GLADSTONEI accept the offer of the hon. Member, and will, therefore, not answer the first Question, which relates to a contingency that has not arrived, and which does not appear 315 to be probable on the face of it. I can assure the bon. Gentleman that at the present moment it is hardly possible for a person holding my Office to deal with the subjects that demand my immediate attention, and it is quite beyond my power to undertake to investigate matters of this kind, however interesting. The second Question, however, refers to a matter of fact. As to that, I am able to inform the hon. Gentleman that no information has been received at the Foreign Office, either from Turkey or from any of the Governments named in the Question to any such effect.