HC Deb 12 July 1855 vol 139 cc804-5
MR. COBDEN

I wish, Sir, to put a question to the noble Lord at the head of the Government. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. J. L. Ricardo) asked the noble Lord the other day whether he was prepared to lay upon the table the terms of the convention for guaranteeing a loan to the Turkish Government. I understood the noble Lord to say the convention was not concluded. Last week a message was sent by the French Government to the Chamber of Deputies of that country, giving full details of the convention entered into between England, France, and Turkey for the guarantee of a loan of 5,000,000l. sterling to the Turkish Government. I wish to ask whether the noble Lord is prepared to furnish similar information to this House, and whether we shall have time for the full consideration and discussion of that question.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

The hon. Member misunderstood my answer. I did not say the treaty was not concluded. I said it had been concluded, but the ratifications were not exchanged. Until the ratifications are exchanged it is not a binding treaty on all parties. I stated, also, it was a joint guarantee for a loan of 5,000,000l.

MR. COBDEN

Will the noble Lord say when the ratifications will be exchanged, and when we shall be placed in the same position as the Assembly of France?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

We have taken measures to exchange ratifications at the earliest possible moment. The ratifications have been sent out to Constantinople, to be exchanged there with the ratifications of the Turkish Government, and by that means time will be saved of sending here and to Paris the ratifications of the Turkish Government. I am not able, of course, to state the day, but it will be done as soon as possible. The convention will require the sanction of Parliament before it has force.

MR. COBDEN

I observe it stated in the French account that the convention was concluded on the 27th of last month. Is that so? The words of the French Government are—"convention conclue."

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

It was signed by the Plenipotentiaries on that day.

MR. J. L. RICARDO

I want to know whether the noble Lord means, by a joint guarantee, that the whole 5,000,000l. are guaranteed by the French and English Governments, or that each Government guarantees one-half—that is to say 2,500,000l. each on their own account?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

It is a joint guarantee for the whole.

Subject dropped.