§ LORD LAMINGTONMy Lords, before the House adjourns I should like to put to the noble Marquess opposite a Question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether the Government can give any assistance towards the relief of the terrible distress existing in Adrianople. I am associated with one of the societies that is affording relief—the Red Crescent Society—and in a letter received on April 4 it was stated that there were at least 20,000 prisoners of war practically destitute and almost starving, that the mortality was nearly 200 a day, and that the condition of the hospitals in the town and of the general population was terrible. This information was supplemented by a telegram received on April 6, in which it was stated that the misery was awful. The association with which I am connected received a communication from the Foreign Office yesterday to the effect that there were 30,000 prisoners of war, and the request was made that additional money to supply necessities of life should be sent out immediately. At the time of the Messina earthquake the Government sent assistance, and I think this is an occasion on which the sympathy of the Government might he made good by deeds and by the sending of help in some form or other. It must be remembered that the distress is not confined to Adrianople, for the various relief societies are having their funds exhausted by the sending of help to relieve the distress in Macedonia and also in Asia Minor.
THE MARQUESS OF CREWEI can assure the noble Lord that His Majesty's Government will continue to assist in every way they can the distribution of funds which may be raised for the relief of the poor people whose condition the noble Lord has described, and they are certain that public opinion all over this country will continue to appreciate the urgent necessity for relief of this kind; and, as the noble Lord has pointed out, no small response has already been made to these appeals. As regards India, for instance, I find that a considerable sum, several thousands of pounds, has already been sent by an important Mahomedan newspaper, the Comrade, published at Delhi—money collected from its readers and other Moslems in India; and His Majesty's Government have been glad to help as far as they could in transmitting 107 those sums and seeing that they have been handed over to proper persons for distribution. But, of course, the appeal of the noble Lord goes a good deal further than that. He asks us—I do not think he did so in so many words but it was evidently what he meant—he asks us to subscribe from public funds for the purpose of these unhappy people. The noble Lord will, I am sure, realise that we have no authority to make use of public funds for such a purpose, and of course without the authority of Parliament we have no funds whatever at our disposal. And as far as I have been able to ascertain there is no precedent whatever for employing public funds for a purpose of this kind, however excellent in itself.
§ LORD LAMINGTONI quoted the help given to Messina as a precedent.
THE MARQUESS OF CREWEI think the noble Lord will see that there is a difference between the effects of a great natural convulsion like the earthquake at Messina and the results of a war. The noble Lord's historical recollection will enable him to bring to mind other wars which have been followed by periods of serious distress, in which foreign countries, including ourselves, have come forward with assistance, sometimes on a large scale, but not through the application of public funds. I am afraid I cannot hold out much hope to the noble Lord that any action of the kind which he desires can be taken by His Majesty's Government.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Four o'clock.