§ 8. Mr. MALCOLMasked whether the American Government have kindly taken charge of the interests of British prisoners of war in Bulgaria and Turkey by visiting camps, etc.; whether any Reports have been received from them; and when they will be published in a White Paper?
§ Sir E. GREYThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and the United States representatives at Constantinople and Sofia have been unremitting in their afforts to improve the lot and the circumstances of the British prisoners of war in Turkey and Bulgaria. I regret to say, however, that in spite of reiterated and pressing requests addressed to the Ottoman and Bulgarian Governments for permission for United States representatives to visit the camps in which British prisoners of war are interned such permission has hitherto been withheld. His Majesty's Government will continue to press this matter. I also regret that I am not in a position to publish any reports on the subject at present, but I hope to be able to do so with respect to our prisoners in Turkey very shortly.
§ 9. Mr. MALCOLMasked how many prisoner camps there are in Great Britain and Germany; how many German ministers of religion are permitted to perform their duties in prisoner camps in this country; and how many British clergymen are allowed to exercise similar functions in prisoner camps in Germany?
§ Mr. TENNANTThere are nineteen prisoners-of-war camps in Great Britain, and in Germany, according to our 1872 information, there are seventy-two. Five German ministers have been authorised to perform services in the camps in this country. There are four clergymen officiating in the camps in Germany, of whom one is British, two American, and one neutral.
§ Mr. MALCOLMWould it not be possible to see that we have at least as many British prisoner chaplains with the British prisoners in Germany as the Germans have German chaplains with German prisoners in England?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have not gone into the proportion, but they are not very far short if you count the American ministers as being British. I do not know that we have any right to do so, but I do not think there would be any objection to the American ministers being counted as British.
§ Mr. MALCOLMFive German ministers for nineteen camps is not in proportion to five British chaplains for seventy-two camps.
§ 11. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that photographs, in postcard and other forms, of prisoners and prisoner camps in France and Germany are now exhibited and sold; that by, means of one such photograph at Nice three men hitherto described as missing were identified by their friends; and whether he can arrange for an exchange of publication of similar photographs between Great Britain and Germany?
§ Sir E. GREYI have no official information regarding the facts stated in the first and second parts of the question, but do not doubt that they are correct; with regard to the third part, lists of missing officers and men are sent periodically to Germany for distribution in all camps and hospitals were British prisoners of war are interned. This system should enable us to obtain a complete list of all our prisoners in Germany, but I will consider whether the suggestion made by my hon. Friend could be usefully adopted.