§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R., Elland)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received any information with regard to the atrocities against the Armenian population committed by Turkish soldiers at Katechen or any other places in the neighbourhood of Van.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI have had a telegraphic report, founded on information, from the Vice-Consul at Van, to the effect that recent events have revealed widespread revolutionary activity and that a large quantity of arms, dynamite, etc., has in fact been discovered at Van. It is stated that there is no reason to complain of the conduct of the Turkish authorities generally, but there were some cases in which the search for arms was conducted with excessive severity, and the villagers at Khatchen complained to the Vali of abuses in connection with it. The guilt of certain Zaptiehs has been admitted by the Vali, and they are being punished. The troops are said to have behaved well with the exception of the Redifs, and attention having been drawn to the matter by Mr. Barclay the Porte has ordered a Special Commission of inquiry into the conduct of the Redifs. I expect a fuller report by despatch.