HL Deb 08 July 1878 vol 241 cc952-3
EARL GRANVILLE

said, he had a Question to put to the noble Duke the Lord President of the Council, as to a statement which had been made by The Daily Telegraph, apparently with some authority, to the effect that Her Majesty's Government had concluded a Defensive Treaty with the Sultan of Turkey, by which Great Britain guaranteed the maintenance of the Asiatic Dominions of the Sultan, and acquired the right to occupy and administer the Island of Cyprus, together with large facilities and privileges which would enable her to act as the protectress and civilizing guardian of that country. He wished to know if the noble Duke could confirm or deny the statement?

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

said, he had better read a statement in reply to the Question put to him by his noble Friend. He had to say that, in view of the retention by Russia of a portion of the Asiatic territory of the Porte, a conditional Convention was entered into on the 4th June last between Her Majesty and the Sultan, to the effect that— If Batoum, Ardahan, Kars, or any of them, shall be retained by Russia, and if any attempt shall be made at any future time by Russia to take possession of any further portion of the Asiatic territories of the Sultan, as fixed by the definitive Treaty of Peace, England engages to join the Sultan in defending them by force of arms. In return, the Sultan promises to England to introduce necessary reforms (to be agreed upon later between the two Powers) into the government and for the protection of the Christian and other subjects of the Porte in those territories; and in order to enable England to make necessary provision for executing her engagement, the Sultan further consents to assign the Island of Cyprus to be occupied and administered by England. If at any time Russia shall surrender to the Porte the territory it has acquired from Turkey in the recent war, these stipulations shall cease to operate, and the Island will be evacuated. Under that Convention—the conditions upon which it was made having now arisen—a Firman had been issued by the Porte, authorizing the transfer of the Island to England. Possession would be at once taken, and the Island administered on the part of Her Majesty; and he had to add that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased to appoint Sir Garnet Wolseley to administer the government of the Island. He would lay the Papers on the Table that night.