Sir, Inclosure 2 in No. 40. Lieutenant-Commander Doxat to Vice-Admiral Hornby. "Wizard," Piræus, April 10, 1878. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I received your telegram forwarded from Volo yesterday evening; some of the words I cannot decipher. Admiral Hobart Pasha told me just before leaving Volo that, after examination of all evidence, he could rely upon Mr. Ogle having been killed on the field of battle, and that his head was cut off afterwards by Turkish troops or camp followers. The British and Italian Consuls consider, on the contrary, that Mr. Ogle's death occurred about Saturday morning, the 30th ultimo, some hours after the fight, as several Greeks have stated that he was seen in a village near Makrinitza on Friday night. I have been informed that in case of an inquiry the Greeks who happen to know anything will most likely be afraid to come forward and give evidence from fear of Turkish vindictiveness. Sir. Lieutenant-Commander Doxat to Vice-Admiral Hornby. "Wizard," Piræus, April 11, 1878. I HAVE the honour to inform you that the funeral of the late Mr. Ogle took place yesterday afternoon at Athens, with military honours, owing to Mr. Ogle having been decorated with the Greek Order of the Saviour. 2. The service was celebrated by the Archbishop of Athens in the Roman Catholic Church, and was attended by the Greek Ministers. All the shops in Athens were closed, and the concourse was immense, the streets through which the procession passed to the Greek cemetery being crowded with people. Mr. Wyndham, Mr. Vansittart, Mr. Merlin, three officers from Her Majesty's gun-boat under my command, and the Eng'ish residents, were present as mourners; also a number of the principal Greeks in Athens followed the hearse to the grave. The greatest order was maintained throughout. 3. I inclose copies of the medical reports of the examination of Mr. Ogle's body at Volo. I have, &c. CHAS. J. DOXAT. (Signed) Inclosure 4 in No. 40. Medical Report. [See Inclosure 4 in No. 29.] My Lord, Inclosure 5 in No. 40. Report by M. Streit respecting the Murder of Mr. Ogle. [See Inclosure 5 in No. 29.] No. 41. Mr. Ogle to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received May 7.) Bradbourne St. Clere, Sevenoaks, May 6, 1878. I HAVE the honour to forward, for your Lordship's perusal, a mémoire by M. E. Streit, Professeur du Droit des Gens à l'Université Nationale d'Athènes. Professor Streit states in it, page 10, that he has seen two eye-witnesses of the murder of my son. I have telegraphed to M. Tricoupi, and he has telegraphed to me in reply, that Professor Streit had addressed Consul-General Fawcett in respect to these witnesses; I should have taken it as a matter of course that these witnesses would be summoned, protected effectually from Turkish officials, and examined, in the first instance at least, in presence of British officials only. But the fact that, up to a very recent date, they had not been examined; the startling announcement from Berlin, in the "Times" of Friday, 3rd May, that my son was officially declared to have been killed when fighting in the ranks of the insurgents; and the repeated assurances made to me by letter and telegram, coming from persons hostile neither to Turkey nor to the Conservative party in England, to the effect that hitherto the inquiry has been conducted as if intended to screen the Turks, and that I must urgently appeal to the Foreign Office, if I care for truth and justice. All these things justify my solicitude, and my distrust of the Commission as hitherto constituted. The preliminary inquiries should surely be conducted by English officials only. The Turkish witnesses are intimidated by Turkish officials; much more the witnesses who are not of the same race as those officials, and are subject to their power. My Lord, a lamentable conviction exists that England, in Volo, is truckling to Turkey. But surely our services to Turkey entitle us to exact, and predispose her to allow, the punishment of a criminal, even if he should be a Pasha or an Aga. I address your Lordship, not only as a father, but as a patriot and a Conservative; and remain, &c. Mr. Layard to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received May 7.) Therapia, May 7, 1878. (Telegraphic.) FOLLOWING from Consul-General Fawcett, dated yesterday :"Closed investigation and settled report with Pasha; left (sic) this evening for Constantinople by Piræus; success attending Consul's negotiations for amnesty seems to allay animosity on both sides." No. 43. Mr. Lister to Mr. Ogle. Sir, Foreign Office, May 8, 1878. I AM directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, and I am to state to you, in reply, that Mr. Consul Blunt was sent to Volo by Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople to make inquiries. in conjunction with a Commissioner to be appointed by the Porte, into the circum stances connected with the death of your son, and he was also instructed to obtain information, at the same time, as to the state of affairs in Thessaly. Mr. Blunt subsequently expressed a wish that the inquiry as to your son's death should be carried on judicially by some other person who could deal with the matter judicially. any Accordingly, Mr. Fawcett, Her Majesty's Consul-General, and Judge of the Supreme Consular Court at Constantinople, has been desired to proceed to Volo, where he will meet Mr. Blunt, who has been instructed to furnish him with evidence that has been collected. Every security will thus be given, that the investigation shall be conducted in legal form, and with strict impartiality, by Mr. Fawcett, who is certainly not influenced by personal or political bias; and I am to renew the assurance already given to you, that when the report of this inquiry is received at the Foreign Office, you shall be made acquainted with the result. I am, &c. (Signed) T. V. LISTER. P.S.-Since the above was written, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople has reported that information had reached him from Mr. Fawcett, that the investigation was closed, and that he was to leave Volo for Constantinople, viâ the Piræus, on the evening of the 6th instant. No. 44. Mr. Layard to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received May 10.) My Lord, Therapia, April 29, 1878. WITH reference to your Lordship's telegram of the 26th instant, Mr. Fawcett being willing to go to Volo to complete the inquiry commenced by Mr. Blunt into the circumstances connected with the death of Mr. Ogie, I have requested him to proceed to that place at once. He will leave for Salonica to-day by an American ship of war, whose captain has been good enough to offer him a passage, and he will be conveyed from thence to Volo in Her Majesty's ship "Falcon." I have the honour to inclose copy of the instructions that I have given to him. I am glad that your Lordship has decided upon authorizing Mr. Fawcett to act in this matter. His position and authority as Judge of Her Majesty's Supreme Court will enable him to deal impartially and effectually with a question which should be kept clear of local excitement and international animosities. Therapia, April 29, 1878. Sir, THE Marquis of Salisbury has instructed me to inform you that if you can leave Constantinople for a short time without detriment to the public service, he would be glad if you would proceed at once to Volo to complete the inquiry commenced by Consul Blunt into the circumstances connected with the death of Mr. Ogle and the mutilation of his body. I have directed Mr. Blunt by telegraph to have ready for you such evidence as may already have been taken on these subjects. I trust, therefore, that it will not be necessary for you to be long absent from your post, but that this inquiry will be speedily brought to an end. Considering the excitement that it appears to be causing, both at Volo and in Greece, it is very desirable that it should not be prolonged beyond the term absolutely necessary in your judgment for ascertaining the truth. Radjeb Pasha, military Commandant of the province of Thessaly, has been named by the Porte its Commissioner to act in this matter with Mr. Blunt. I have requested that he should be informed of your approaching arrival at Volo, and that he should be instructed to join with you in the inquiry. It is quite unnecessary for me to give you any further instructions. The mode of conducting the inquiry is left entirely to your judgment and discretion. When it is concluded you will have the kindness to report to me fully on its results for the information of the Marquis of Salisbury. to I have requested Admiral Hornby to send Her Majesty's ship "Falcon " Salonica to meet you on Wednesday morning next, for the purpose of taking you to Volo, and to permit you to avail yourself of it for your return to Salonica, or, if necessary for your speedy arrival at Constantinople, for your conveyance to the Piræus. Mr. Ogle to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received May 13.) My Lord, the auspices of the Commander of the Turkish forces in Thessaly, is not likely to be the conclusion of it, as the presence of that official has effectually scared witnesses away, and has not emboldend his Lieutenant, Skander Pasha, to appear as a witness. Until a preliminary investigation is made by English officials alone, and complete provision made for the safety of witnesses during the investigation, and for some time after it, England will be baffled, and those who allow her to do so will be involved in consequences which their friends must deplore. Even amidst events the most momentous, it may be wise to treat a single incident with caution, in view of its possible issues. I remain, &c. (Signed) JOHN OGLE. No. 46. Mr. Lister to Mr. Ogle. Sir, Foreign Office, May 15, 1878. I AM directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, relative to the inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of the late Mr. Ogle. I am, &c. Mr. Ogle to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received May 17.) My Lord Marquis, Bradbourne St. Clere, Sevenoaks, May 13, 1878. IN the letter addressed to me from the Foreign Office on the 8th instant I find a disclaimer of personal and political bias as regards Consul-General Fawcett. Personal and political bias, such as would be incompatible with personal honour and official integrity, has not been ascribed, I believe, either to Mr. Blunt or to Mr. Fawcett. But what of the personal and political bias of Redjeb Pasha? He is the Commander-in-chief of the forces in Thessaly, and these are the forces to which Mr. Ogle's assassins are supposed to belong. He himself and his Lieutenant, Iskender Pasha, have been publicly declared to be so cognizant of the subject of the inquiry that they ought to have been called as material witnesses. He is probably the Commanding Officer of Major Reshid, who is distinctly denounced by John Elliot in his letter of the 8th April (of which a copy has been forwarded to your Lordship), and is positively declared to have said to several bystanders that he would make the correspondent Ogle's sermons cost him very dear. Such is the personal and political bias of Redjeb Pasha, and so well is it known, that it has been found impossible to induce Greek and Christian witnesses to venture into his presence. Their distrust is justified by the fact reported in to-day's journals, that three persons who had privately given information concerning the late Mr. Ogle's movements on the 29th March last have been sent to Athens, their lives having been threatened if they return to their villages. This fact indicates also the only procedure by means of which depositions can be obtained which have been hitherto withheld. Her Majesty's ship "Falcon" is said to have gone to the shores of Thessaly and Macedonia to take off insurgents; such a ship might well be employed in bringing off witnesses invited by Her Majesty's Ministers in vain, because deterred by the officials of Turkey. In such a vessel such witnesses might be conveyed to a place where they might give their evidence in safety, and remain, after giving it, under the immediate protection of the British Crown. The action of Turkish officials might be deferred till the depositions were completed. A procedure so manifestly necessary is sure to be called for, unless the call be wisely anticipated by the spontaneous determination of Her Majesty's Ministers to adopt such a procedure. I remain, &c. No. 48. Sir J. Pauncefote to Mr. Ogle. Sir, Foreign Office, May 21, 1878. I AM directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, relative to the investigation into the circumstances connected with the death of the late Mr. Ogle. I am, &c. My Lord, No. 49. Mr. Layard to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received May 25.) Therapia, May 15, 1878. I HAVE the honour to inclose in original the report addressed to me by Her Majesty's Consul-General and Judge of the Supreme Court with reference to the death of Mr. Ogle. I have not had time to have translations made of the evidence taken in Greek. Should your Lordship require such translations, I will have them made if the documents are returned to me. I have, &c. (Signed) A. H. LAYARD. Sir, Inclosure 1 in No. 49. Consul-General Fawcett to Mr. Layard. Volo, May 8, 1878. I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that on arriving here I first communicated with Mr. Suter, Her Majesty's Vice-Consul for this place, who informed me that Mr. Consul Blunt, who had taken part in the inquiry as to the circumstances attending the death of the late Mr. Ogle, had gone into the interior, and would not be back for some days. Mr. Suter had, however, copies in Greek of all the evidence hitherto taken. I also saw the Greek Consul, and other persons in the place, who stated that there were individuals who could give valuable evidence as to the alleged assassination of Mr. Ogle, but who were afraid to do so, lest they should be afterwards punished or maltreated by the Ottoman authorities. The Greek Consul further stated that these people required a guarantee that they would not be molested from the British Government, and also that they were prepared to give me information in private as to the matter. I informed him that I did not see how it was possible for Her Majesty's Government to give any such guarantee, and that I had no instructions to give any. For the second request, I informed him that I was officially here on a Mixed Commission of English and Ottoman authorities to investigate the circumstances connected with Mr. Ogle's death, and that any information given to me privately could not form part of any report I might make. But I told him that I would most earnestly impress on the Mutessarif at once to proclaim in the most solemn manner that all persons who could give any evidence at the coming sittings might do so in perfect safety, and that no harm could come to them. I went at once to the Mutessarif, in company with Captain Clerk, of Her Majesty's ship "Falcon," and Mr. Vice-Consul Suter, and informed him that any subsequent molestation of any witness by the Ottoman authorities would, I felt sure, be severely resented by Her Majesty's Government; and that he must at once put out a notice to the effect that any person could give evidence without any fear of being afterwards molested for what he had said, and also stating that I had come to assist in the investigation, by desire of Her Majesty's Government and with the consent of the Government of His Majesty the Sultan. He said that every witness was in perfect safety here, but that he would at once put out the "affiche" I desired, in Greek and in Turkish, which was done. I informed the Greek Consul of this, who declared his satisfaction, and promised, if possible, to bring up the witnesses he had mentioned. On the following morning Redjeb Pasha arrived from Larissa in time to attend the sitting. The Greek Consul, the Italian Consul, |