MR. J. H. ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he can give any information as to the present serious position of the Armenian Christians in the Provinces of Van, Bitlis,, and Ezeroum; whether any action has been taken by the English and Russian Consuls in the districts referred to to discover the instigators of the recent raids upon Armenian Christians; and whether any steps have been taken by the British representatives at Constantinople to secure a change in the administration of these provinces.
§ * MR. BRODRICKWe have heard quite recently that Turkish troops were sent to the Mush plain in search of revolutionists. Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Van has just returned there from a journey to Bitlis. According to his account the operations were directed entirely against revolutionists, who were, said to be in hiding, the innocent villagers, being left undisturbed. Her Majesty's Government have no information as to raids on Armenian Christians, other than revolutionists as stated above, but Her 17 Majesty's Ambassador will be asked for a further Report.