§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is able to communicate any information with regard to the recent disturbances at Yozgat; whether he is aware that there are at Sivas more than 400 untried Armenian prisoners; and whether inquiries will be made into the circumstances?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OK STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, BerwickThere was a disturbance on the 12th December, in which one Armenian and two Turks were killed, and other persons wounded. The cause of the disturbance is stated to have been a demonstration of the Mussulman population against the Armenians, and the cause of the demonstration is said to have been the indignation of the Mussulmans at the illtreatment of a Cadi by brigands, whom they supposed to have been Armenians, though we are not aware that this has been proved. A Special Commission was sent from Constantinople to inquire into this affair. There were fresh conflicts on the 1st and 2nd of February, resulting in the death of several persons on both sides. The official account is that these were due to an attack upon the police. Martial Law was proclaimed; but the Order has since been revoked or suspended, and no further troubles have been reported. We have been informed that there are 83 Armenian prisoners untried at Sivas, and Sir A. Nicholson represented to the Grand Vizier about three weeks ago the desirability of having them tried without delay, if there were substantial charges against them.