the latter is the language, as it seems to me, not of statesmanship, but of mere indolence and despair. EARL GRANVILLE said, that the noble Earl (the Earl of Derby) must be perfectly aware that there was great anxiety on this question in the public mind, and that it was therefore very desirable that information should be given on the subject; but after the statement of the noble Earl that, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, it was not desirable to give further information than they had given, and after the promise made in that and the other House of Parliament that information would be given at no very distant period, he had not the slightest wish to press Her Majesty's Government on that point. With regard to their policy, even if he wished to refrain from blaming Her Majesty's Government he had this difficulty-he did not know exactly what they were doing or what their policy was. A noble Lord (Lord Napier) had referred to a matter which was only indirectly connected with the subject of the insurrection in the Turkish Provinces -namely, the purchase by Her Majesty's Government of Suez Canal shares. He (Earl Granville) was not a great admirer of that transaction, and up to the present moment he had not seen the great political results which might have been expected from it. With regard to the question of the Berlin Memorandum, he thought Her Majesty's Government were right in not adhering to that Memorandum. He was, indeed, in ignorance at that moment what that Memorandum was, and he must reserve his opinion upon it till he had further information. With regard to the sending of a Fleet to Besika Bay, we did not know whether that course was adopted at the suggestion of any other Power, or what was the motive which influenced Her Majesty's Government in taking that course; and therefore, until he was aware of all the circumstances of the case, he thought their Lordships would agree that he was right in reserving his opinion on that subject. Those who sat on that side of the House were not in the slightest degree negligent of the important interests which Great Britain had in the settlement of the question. On the other hand, it should be understood that they would not refuse to co-operate in any course which might clearly lead to the most VOL. CCXXX. [THIRD SERIES.] efficacious means of maintaining peace, and of arriving at a satisfactory settlement of this question. But above all it should be understood that those on that side of the House were not unmindful of the obligations which Turkey took upon itself by the Treaty of 1856 with regard to its Christian subjects. He was very glad to hear the assurance given by the noble Earl that Her Majesty's Government would use their influence derived from that Treaty in seeing that justice was administered by the Turkish Government with regard to the Christian population. LORD CAMPBELL said, that after the statement of the noble Earl the Secretary of State he would withdraw his Motion. Motion, by leave of the House, withdrawn. House adjourned at a quarter to Nine o'clock, till to-morrow, half past Ten o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Monday, 26th June, 1876. MINUTES.]-SUPPLY-considered in Committee Committee-Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland)* [161]-R.P. Committee - Report-Settled Estates Act (1856) REGISTRY OF DEEDS OFFICE (IRELAND)-LEGISLATION.-QUESTION. MR. O'CONNOR POWER asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce, this Session, a Bill effecting alterations in the working of the Registry of Deeds Office (Ireland); and, if so, whether inducements will be held out to the officials in this and other public de P partments where the recommendations | munication, dated July 8th, 1875, giving of the Playfair Commission are not in Major Moncrieff reasons for recommendoperation, to retire on pension; and, ing the further development of his syswhether the Treasury is at present pre- tem of artillery, and requesting inquiry? pared to entertain applications for retire- LORD EUSTACE CECIL: It is not ment on pension from those officials? the custom to publish ex parte statements of gentlemen who communicate with the Public Offices without the publication (which would be manifestly improper) of confidential replies made to them by the officers of the Department. MR. W. H. SMITH, in reply, said, that the Government intended, if possible, to bring in a Bill that Session in regard to the working of the Registry of Deeds Office (Ireland), and, if not, early next Session. If the legislation took the form of a reduction of the Staff, the ordinary rules applicable to the public service would be applied to the Office in question. SCOTLAND-FATAL FIRE IN AYR. QUESTION. LORD LINDSAY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to the unfortunate fire which occurred in a cotton mill in Ayr, by which a large number of lives have been lost; and, if he is rendering such assistance as is necessary to enable the inspector and the jury to ascertain the reason why these workpeople were unable to make their escape? MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that immediately after the occurrence of the fire the Procurator Fiscal made a searching inquiry into the origin of the fire, and of the causes which led to so great a loss of life. On account of the great difficulty of approaching the ruins, and of recovering the bodies, the inquiry had not yet been completed. Every assistance was being given by the town authorities, and if it should appear that there had been any neglect of the provisions of the Factory Act by the proprietors of the mill, the Inspector would be at once communicated with: but, so far as the inquiry had gone, there did not appear to be any ground for such a suspicion. The Lord Advocate had put himself in communication with the Procurator Fiscal on the subject, and it would receive the utmost attention. INDIA-MADRAS IRRIGATION COM PANY.-QUESTION. MR. SMOLLETT asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether interest has been paid upon the debenture debt due to Government by the Madras Irrigation Company for the years 1874 and 1875, a period during which repayments of the principal sums due have been postponed as a matter of grace and favour by the Secretary of State, or whether any interest on this debenture debt has ever been paid since 1866; whether it be true that the sums needed for the working of the navigation and irrigation canals of this Company have been defrayed for some years by the Government of India, less the receipts from the works; and, if so, why this charge is met by the Indian Exchequer while the undertaking is in the possession of private parties; whether there is any present intention on the part of the Secretary of State for India to receive a transfer of these works from the existing shareholders, and to guarantee payment of the private debenture debts, understood to be very considerable; and, whether he will undertake, before the works are acquired, to place upon the Table of the House a Return showing distinctly the actual indebtedness of this undertaking? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: Sir, no interest has been paid by the Madras Irrigation Company upon the debenture debt due to the Government, which debt was contracted upon an Act of Parliament. The receipts from the irrigation do not equal the working expenses, and the sum necessary to meet the deficiency has been advanced out of the revenues ARMY-THE MONCRIEFF SYSTEM OF of India; but the Company has been in ARTILLERY.-QUESTION. COLONEL BERESFORD asked the Secretary of State for War, If he will lay upon the Table of the House a comMr. O'Connor Power formed that no further advances will be made on this account. In any negotiations which may be entered into, the main object of the Government will be to reduce the annual burden which has been imposed upon the Indian Treasury by the agreements which have been entered into with the Company. If the hon. Gentleman wishes for further information as to the income and indebtedness of the Company, and will move for such a Return, we shall be glad to give him any information which it may be in our power to grant. NATIONAL SCHOOL TEACHERS (IRELAND)-CASE OF MICHAEL MOYNA. QUESTION. MR. W. JOHNSTON asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the Petition of Michael Moyna, formerly teacher of Three Mile House National School, county Monaghan, presented to this House on the 28th April last; and, whether he will cause an inquiry into the whole circumstances connected with his leaving Ireland, with a view to his restoration to his former position as a teacher under the National Board? SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACH: Yes, Sir, my attention has been called to the Petition in question. The teacher, Michael Moyna, was dismissed not only for infringing the regulations of the National Board on Education by taking active part in the election of Poor Law Guardians in his district, but also for breaking the law by signing to voting papers the names of voters who were dead, and witnessing them in his own name. After his dismissal he left Ireland for America, of course, at his own option; and under all the circumstances I do not think it would be advisable that he should be restored to his position in the employment of the National Board of Education. MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, Colour-Sergeant Brown, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, was taken ill on parade immediately after return of the battalion from Wormwood Scrubs; he was admitted to hospital, and died about 4 hours after admission from apoplexy. As he had been treated in the hospital, and as his death was from natural causes, the surgeon major of the battalion did not consider that there was anything to justify him in applying for a coroner's inquest. INLAND REVENUE-OUT-DOOR EXCISE ESTABLISHMENT.-QUESTION. MR. MONK asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reference to the Recommendations of the Civil Service Commissioners, dated the 23rd day of July 1875, as to the Out-door Excise Establishment, and of the Treasury Minute relating thereto, dated the 15th day of March last, When the alterations decided upon will take effect? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE QUER, in reply, said, he trusted the hon. Gentleman would not think him wanting in courtesy if he declined to answer the Question. The recommendations dated July, 1875, were in the hands of the House; but in regard to the Treasury Minute, it had never been made public, and there was very great inconvenience in Questions being publickly put on matters involving large interests in relation to the Civil Service. CAPTAIN PIM asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he has any House the Admiralty instructions to objection to lay upon the Table of the Captain Nares, and also those given to Mr. Allen Young, for whom a sum of ARMY — THE GRENADIER GUARDS- £8,000 is to be taken in Vote 14 of the DEATH OF COLOUR-SERGEANT BROWN. QUESTION. MR. J. HOLMS asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that Sergeant Brown, of the 3rd Battalion of Grenadier Guards, on returning from exercise at Wormwood Scrubs on or about the 12th instant, was suddenly taken ill, and died in hospital; and, whether he will state if an inquest has been held; and, if, not, why not? Navy Estimates, under the head of "Communication with the Arctic Expeditions by Mr. Allen Young?" MR. HUNT, in reply, said, that the Instructions had already been laid on the Table. MERCHANT SHIPPING ACTS-MERCHANT SEAMEN DESERTERS. QUESTION. MR. BIGGAR asked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been drawn to the case of Henry Jacobs | ing and purifying the great thoroughand John Scott, two seamen, who were fares? reported to have jumped overboard in the Thames from the ship "Cullmon" rather than go to sea when they found to whom the ship belonged, and are now undergoing six months' imprisonment for so doing; and, whether he will direct that the shipping master before whom the men sign articles should make the men acquainted with the names of the owners before they sign articles? SIR CHARLES ADDERLEY: Sir, my attention has been called to the case of Henry Jacobs and John Scott, who jumped into the river at Gravesend to get into a boat to desert from the Cal lirrhoe, not Cullmon, as the ship is named in the Question. They were pursued and taken before the Mayor and sentenced to six weeks imprisonment not six months as stated by the hon. Gentleman. They could not have truly pleaded that they had not known the owner of the ship, as, before they signed the articles at Tower Hill, they were, as is always done, fully informed of the owner's and master's name. For the same reason I cannot direct shipping masters to give such information generally, as they are bound to give it always, and in fact always do give it. This case, among many others, involving great loss to the ship and the fraud besides of making off with advance notes, shows the necessity of stringent punishment for desertion. The Mayor of Gravesend, who tried the case, expressed his opinion that these men had joined with the purpose of desertion, to get their advance notes, and repeat the trick. METROPOLIS-PAVING, CLEANSING, AND LIGHTING.-QUESTION. MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE asked the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works, Whether, under the Metropolis Local Management Act, powers were given to the Metropolitan Board of Works not only for the purposes of sewerage and drainage, but also in respect of the paving, cleansing, and lighting of the Metropolis; and, if so, whether his attention has been drawn to the state of the streets in some parts of the Metropolis, especially in the Knightsbridge district; and, whether some better arrangement cannot be made for cleans Mr. Biggar SIR JAMES HOGG: Sir, in answer to the Question of my hon. Friend, I have to inform him that under the Metropolis Local Management Acts the powers as to paving, watering, and lighting streets were expressly placed under the control and management of the Vestries and District Boards, and not of the Metropolitan Board of Works; and that in every Act extending the powers of the Metropolitan Board as to making new streets, the obligation has been put on the last-named Board to give up the streets when completed to the Vestries and District Boards, to be managed by them as to paving, watering, and lighting. I should state that as regards two of the Thames Embankment roadways these provisions originally inserted in the Acts have been altered by Parliament, and they have been placed under the control of the Metropolitan Board for all purposes. TURKEY-ALLEGED MASSACRE IN BULGARIA.-QUESTION. MR. W. E. FORSTER: The House will, I trust, allow me to make a few observations in explanation of the Question which I wish to ask the Prime Minister, and of which I have given him Notice, respecting the atrocities alleged to have been committed by the Turkish troops in Bulgaria, and especially described in a letter printed in The Daily News of last Friday. Many hon. Members will have read that letter, but for the information of those who have not, I may state that it described with much detail the total destruction of many villages and the massacre of their inhabitants, men, women, and children, by Turkish troops. Those troops are stated to have been generally irregulars, but the name of a Turkish Pasha is given as implicated in the outrages, and it would not appear that the inhabitants of these villages were actually in rebellion. As a rule I should not think of asking the Government a Question either with regard to the treatment by a foreign Government of its subjects or as regards the correctness of anonymous statements in any newspaper, however respectable and influential; but it seems to me important, in forming an opinion on affairs in Turkey, in which we appear just now to be ARMY MEDICAL OFFICERS. unfortunately much involved, that if | garia, and steps to be taken by which allegations such as I have stated are true the action of the Bashi-Bazouks and we should be aware of them, and that if Circassians might be arrested. Very false we should not be misled by them. shortly after, the disturbances in BulI should not be acting fairly to the garia seem to have ceased. That is all House if I did not add that since last the information I have to give the right Friday I have received information, not hon. Gentleman on the subject, and I from the office of The Daily News, but will merely repeat that the information from a quarter which is certainly not which we have at various times received prejudiced against the Turkish Govern- does not justify the statements made in ment, which information appears to me the journal which he has named. to confirm the substantial truth of these distressing statements. This, however, only makes me the more anxious to know whether the Government have obtained from official sources any contradiction or confirmation, and I, therefore, beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman, Whether he can give the House any information with regard to the truth of the statements which have recently appeared in the public papers, and especially in the "Daily News" of June 23rd, respecting the cruelties alleged to have been committed by the Turkish troops in the suppression of the insurrection in Bulgaria? DR. WARD asked the Secretary of dical Officers who were appointed by State for War, If it is true that MeHis Royal Highness the Commander in Chief to the medical charge of regiments for five years, prior to the issue of the be removed from those regiments and last new Warrant of April 1876, are to sent on Foreign Service before the completion of said period of five years? MR. GATHORNE HARDY: Yes, Sir, they are; as by the recent medical MR. DISRAELI: Sir, we have no in- Warrant of the 28th of April, 1876, formation in our possession which justi-and the paragraph attaching medical the Department has become unified, fies the statements to which the right officers to regiments for five years, as hon. Gentleman refers. Some time ago, when troubles first commenced in Bula rule, under the Warrant of 1873, has garia, they appear to have begun by strangers entering. the country and burning the villages without reference to religion or race. The Turkish Governmen at that time had no Regular troops in Bulgaria, and the inhabitants, of course, were obliged to defend themselves. The persons who are called Bashi-Bazouks and Circassians are persons who had settled in the country and had a stake in it. I have not the slightest doubt myself that the war, if you can call it a war, between the invaders and the Bashi-Bazouks and Circassians was carried on with great ferocity. One can easily understand, under the circumstances under which these outrages occurred, and with such populations, that that might happen. I am told that no quarter was given, and no doubt scenes took place which we must all entirely deplore. But in the month of May the attention of Sir Henry Elliot was called to this state of things from some information which reached him, and he immediately communicated with the Porte, who at once ordered some Regular troops to repair to Bul been abolished. All medical officers, whether formerly attached to regiments or depôt brigades, or not, are now placed on one general roster, according to their service at home, sending abroad first those who have served the first of these has not served out of at home longest. I may mention that this country for 15 years. INDIA-ACTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House, Copies of the Acts passed by the Indian Legislature, either from time to time or periodically? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: Sir, until 1858 it was the practice to lay Acts of the Legislative Council of India upon the Table of the House, and I do not know why the practice was discontinued. There will be no objection to lay in future, upon the Table of the House Indian Acts after they have received the sanc、 tion of the Secretary of State for India. |