§ SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether his statement that the Consular Reports regarding the alleged outrages in the Sasun district were of a graver character than previous Consular Reports referred only to a Report recently made by the Vice-Consul at Van; whether he is aware that Van is three days' journey from the scene of the alleged outrages; whether the Vice-Consul's Report was derived entirely from Armenian sources; and, whether the Vice-Consul has been but a very short time in the country.
§ *SIR E. GREYThe statements that Reports received recently with regard 559 to the Sasun district were graver than other Consular Reports relating to occurrences in other districts and in previous years, did not refer only to one Report or to one source of information; but as a Commission has been appointed since these Reports were received to inquire into the circumstances to which they relate, I cannot, whilst proceedings before the Commission are pending, give any further information with regard to them. The Vice-Consul at Van arrived there on July 30th.