§ MR. PLATT-HIGGINS (Salford, N.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, according to trustworthy information which has reached this country, there are computed to be 25,000 orphan Armenian children now homeless and destitute in the districts of Kharput, Bitlis, Van, and Hedjin; and whether he will take further steps through our Ambassador at Constantinople, to procure the re-opening of the orphanages at Palu, Koorkush, the neighbourhood of Diarbehr and elsewhere, which have been recently closed by order of the Turkish authorities, and give every encouragement to those who desire to alleviate the misery of these children?
§ MR. BRODRICKWe have no information as to the exact numbers of destitute Armenian orphans in the districts named. Her Majesty's Ambassador has made further representations to the Grand Vizier, and has urged the dispatch of immediate instructions to the Valis not to interfere with the orphanages. His Excellency may be relied upon to press the matter at the Porte.