§ Captain Pechellsaid, he had received a communication from Scotland, which induced him to ask the noble Lord, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, a question. It appeared that a fleet of French fishing boats had appeared on the Scotch coasts, which was likely to produce considerable injury to the Scotch fisheries. He wished to know if anything had been done with the French Government relative to their encroachments on the fisheries of this country; and also whether any directions had been given by the Admiralty to send a vessel of war to protect the Scotch fishing boats.
§ Viscount Palmerstonsaid, every one knew that negotiations had been going on between this country and France relative to the oyster fisheries at Jersey, and correspondence had also taken place as regarded the fisheries along the coasts of the two countries. The negotiations were far advanced, and he trusted, that at no distant period they would be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.