§ EARL DE LA WARRasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether there is any objection to laying upon the Table of the House the Papers and Correspondence relative to the late outrage at Salonica and the trial and execution of the persons implicated in the murders?
§ EARL GRANVILLEBefore the noble Earl answers that Question I wish to put to him another of a larger nature which I understand he will have no objection to answer. I wish to ask him whether, on account of the change in the state of affairs in the East, the noble Earl can state when it will be possible to lay upon the Table the Papers which will give information to Parliament with regard to the course which has up to this time been pursued by Her Majesty's Government in the Eastern Question?
§ THE EARL OF DERBYMy Lords, considering that all efforts in favour of pacification have unfortunately failed, and that war has broken out between Servia and Montenegro on the one hand and Turkey on the other, there is no diplomatic reason why the Correspondence showing the general course of events and the policy pursued by Her Majesty's Government should not be laid upon the Table. The Correspondence, I may mention, is somewhat voluminous, and, as a great deal of the information which it contains has been confidentially communicated by foreign States, we shall have to consult those States as to whether they are willing to consent to the publication of it. That may cause some delay, but we shall lose as little time as possible in obtaining their consent. So far as the policy of Her Majesty's Government is concerned, I am perfectly ready to lay these Papers before your Lordships. With respect to the Question of the noble Earl (Earl De La Warr), I think it would be better to include the Papers relating to it in the general Correspondence.