§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information regarding the serious disturbances which are reported by telegraph to have occurred quite recently near Van, and the attack which is said to have been made upon the British Consulate in that city?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.No information has been received of these reports.
§ *SIR J. FERGUSSONAs I have already explained to the House, while a newspaper correspondent telegraphs home news of this kind, Her Majesty's Representative will, in ordinary course, inquire into the facts, but does not telegraph the occurrence unless immediate action is required. If anything extraordinary occurs we shall hear of it in due course.
§ MR. BRYCEBut the right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. Are not the Foreign Office in the habit, when reports of this kind are made, of inquiring whether our Representative has received information?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONNo, Sir; when sensational telegrams appear we do not necessarily make inquiry.