THE DUKE OF ST. ALBANSasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether it was correctly stated in the newspapers that Officers of the Royal Engineers were sent out to Constantinople last autumn; in what capacity they surveyed the defences there; and in what light their mission was represented to the Turkish Government? His attention had been directed to statements which had appeared in the newspapers to the effect that Engineer Officers had been sent out to Constantinople and were now engaged in surveying the defences in and around that city. Should the noble Earl the Under Secretary for War be able to deny these statements he should not regret having trespassed on their Lordships' indulgence. Should, however, he admit that, at a critical time of the war between Turkey and Servia, officers of the Royal Engineers were sent out to advise on the defence of Constantinople, he thought Parliament had a right to ask from Her Majesty's Government an explanation of so unusual a course. He trusted his noble Friend would tell them under what understanding facilities had been obtained from the Turkish authorities for those officers to perform their duties. He wanted to know how it was that, while British diplomacy was telling the Porte "You have nothing to expect from us," British officers were considering how the capital of Turkey could be preserved from a possible calamity—that while the Government and the Press of this country were impressing on the Turkish Government the necessity of concession and the hopelessness of resistance our scientific officers were said to have reported that the line of the Balkan was unforceable and Constantinople invulnerable by land. True, 162 it was not a great military demonstration; but he believed the presence of those three or four English officers had influenced the Council and public opinion of Stamboul more than the thousands of Russians massed on the frontier. Could the Porte seriously believe that a Government which sent those officers meant to do nothing? Was it surprising that the action of the War Office had more weight with them than the words of the Ambassador? If Her Majesty's Government were at the time prepared to have gone to war for Turkey, every one must admit that they were wise to be prepared and in the course they took. But if their policy at that time was the same as that stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer now, he asked, What was the use of seeking for this information? These English officers were there under false pretences. He asked his noble Friend this Question from no unpatriotic motive, and should feel glad if his asking it enabled the noble Earl to give a satisfactory explanation of an announcement which at the time created apprehension at home and irritation abroad. He believed Colonel Bent, Royal Engineers, and two Engineers were sent on a like mission just before the Crimean War, and this made the proceeding respecting which he now sought information of still greater importance than it would otherwise have been.
§ EARL CADOGANMy Lords, officers have from time to time been employed by the War Office in various parts of the East to obtain intelligence that was thought necessary for the service of Her Majesty's Government. It is obviously impossible for me to enter in this House upon the details of the information which they may from time to time have acquired. I can, however, assure the noble Duke that these officers have been employed exclusively in the service and for the objects of Her Majesty's Government, and that their services would never have been placed at the disposal of any foreign Government whatsoever; nor has any expectation ever been held out that their services would be so placed. With regard to the last part of the Question of the noble Duke, I have to say that no instructions were given to Her Majesty's Ambassador to make any representations to the Turkish Government on the subject.