§ MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tonbridge)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Czar has power to grant letters of naturalisation to Archbishop Khrimian, on his taking up his residence in Russian territory, without reference to the Porte or to any other State; whether the Archbishop has made a formal protest against his detention in Jerusalem, as a violation of the privileges granted to the Christian population in the Ottoman Empire and solemnly secured by International Treaties and Imperial Firmans; whether the 62nd Article of the Berlin Treaty stipulates in precise terms for the transit of all Christian clergy throughout the Ottoman Empire without hindrance or molestation; and whether, throughout Armenia, Her Majesty's Government will reconsider its decision and use its best endeavours to obtain for the Catholicos-select permission to leave Jerusalem and to embark at Jaffa for Erivan at an early date?
§ *SIR E. GREY(1.) I am not aware of any special Convention on the subject between Russia and Turkey. The Ukase of the Senate relative to the naturalisation of foreigners in Russia makes a five years' residence a necessary preliminary to an application for Russian naturalisation. (2.) I am not aware of such a protest. 1136 (3.) The paragraph of the 62nd Article which appears to be alluded to refers to the movements in the Ottoman Empire of ecclesiastics, pilgrims, and monks of foreign nationality. (4.) Her Majesty's Government do not propose to take any initiative in the matter.