§ 9. Sir E. CORNWALLasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has been able to obtain any further information respecting the British prisoners who fell into the hands of the Turks at Kut-el-Amara?
§ Lord R. CECILOn June 9th the United States Representative at Constantinople reported that notwithstanding repeated inquiries he had been unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the British prisoners of war taken at Kut, excepting General Townshend. The United States Consul at Bagdad had not been allowed to get into touch with the prisoners. The only information which General Townshend had was that they were being brought northwards across the desert. The United States Representative sent £T2,000 by telegraph to the Ottoman Red Crescent at Aleppo for the prisoners, and pressed the Porte to allow the Consul at Bagdad to visit them and supply their needs The Porte refused on the ground that the men were being moved and stated that they were being treated according to the established rules.
On receiving this information we requested the United States Representative on July 6th to protest strongly and to press the Porte to state the names of the camps to which the prisoners were being sent and to allow a member of the Embassy to visit them immediately on their arrival. The Embassy have so far received no reply to their representations made at our request.
We have heard that 12 officers have arrived at Broussa well, 45 officers and men at Afion Kara Hissar, 6 officers at Bagdad, 75 officers at Kastamouni and an equal number at Yozgat. On June 26th 1,000 prisoners were at Bagdad too weak or ill to travel, 40 British officers were at Adana ill with dysentery. Medicines and nourishing food were being sent them. On June 21st 62 prisoners arrived at Angora. On July 28th the United States Representative telegraphed that 50 Indian officers and men were at Konia and 23 Indians at Eskishehir. He states that as soon as the arrival of prisoners at a camp is notified he sends them clothing, comforts and money. The names of all officers and men mentioned in the reports received have 648 been communicated to the War Office for the information of the relatives.
The failure of the Porte to reply to our Note of the 6th July is most unsatisfactory and inspires considerable misgiving, having regard to the fact that the prisoners are compelled to cross the desert in this season of the year and are obviously in no condition to endure hardship.