THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNMy Lords, I rise for the purpose of putting a Question to the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, of which I have given him private Notice. It has been stated in the papers that a Russian 824 officer holding the rank of General in the Russian Army has now a high command in the Servian Army. It has also been stated more than once that Russian officers have been crossing over into Servia—presumably with the object of joining the Servian Army. I beg to ask the noble Earl, Whether those statements are true; and whether he can give the House any information as to the number of Russian officers who have entered the Servian service?
§ THE EARL OF DERBYI presume that the officer alluded to in the noble Earl's Question as holding the rank of General in the Russian Army is General Tchernayeff. There is no doubt that General Tchernayeff was formerly employed in the Russian Army, and attained high rank in the Russian service. He subsequently, I am told, quitted that service, and became the Editor of a journal which supports the Sclavonic cause. I am informed that he has since accepted the command which he now holds in the Servian Army. As to the other part of the noble Earl's Question—that relating to Russian officers who may have crossed into Servia with the view of entering into the Servian Army—I am afraid that I cannot answer it. Everybody knows, however, that there is a strong sympathy felt among the Russian population for the cause of the Servian insurgents; and it is possible and not improbable that various persons who have held rank and been employed in the Russian service may be serving as volunteers in the Servian Army. But on that point I cannot speak with any certainty; and I have no reason to believe that they do so with the assent, still less with the authority, of the Russian Government.