§ Mr. Cobdenwished to know whether there was any ground for the report, that an individual of high rank had arrived in this country from Portugal for the purpose of negotiating a treaty?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, he had stated on a former occasion, that so far as the Government was concerned, the negotiation with Portugal on the subject of the treaty might be deemed to be terminated. He had seen the statement in the newspapers that the Duke of Palmella had arrived in this country, and he believed that to be the fact. He also understood that that personage was charged with powers to treat with this 642 country; but this was the act of the Portuguese Government, and was not a consequence of any previous communication with the British country. He was not aware of any formal communication having yet been made by the Duke of Palmella to the Government of this country.