§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any communications, formal or informal, have passed between Her Majesty's 1302 Government and the Turkish Government as to the effect which the continued refusal of the Porte to carry out reforms in Armenia, in accordance with Article I of the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1878, has upon the validity of other provisions contained in that Convention?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONSuch communications have passed, but they are not of a kind to be made public.
§ MR. F. S. STEVENSONWill any of these communications appear in Papers-about to be laid on the Table in relation to the Armenian Question?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONNo, Sir; I do-not think so.
§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has had his attention drawn to a telegram from Odessa, in the Daily News of 9th July, to the effect that the-Armenians have lost all hope of protection and redress from the Turkish Government at Constantinople, as the futility of all appeals and protests made to the Porte by the Great Powers has been demonstrated during the last 12 months; and whether Her Majesty's-Government is prepared to invite the Russian Government to occupy Armenia, and put an end to the scenes enacted by the Kurds?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONThat would be a very strong step to take on the strength of a telegram from Odessa.
§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)Is it true that there are two Russian Infantry divisions within a day's march of the frontier?
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONI am not prepared to answer that question.