HC Deb 13 February 1857 vol 144 c621
MR. JAMES MACGREGOR

said, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if any and what steps had been taken by the Government to ascertain the present Revenues of Greece; how they were disposed of, and the probability of their being adequate to relieve the Consolidated Fund of the £47,000 paid annually for the interest and sinking Fund of the Greek Loan guaranteed by this country under the Act 2 & 3 Wm. IV. c. 121, and 6 & 7 Wm. IV. c. 94, or any part thereof?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that several communications had passed between the British, French, Greek, and Russian Governments upon the subject of the hon. Member's question, and the result of those communications had been that a Commission was to be appointed consisting of the three representatives of the protecting powers at Athens, in conjunction with a representative of the interests of Greece. Those Commissioners were to examine into the financial condition of that country, and to report to their respective Governments the results of their inquiry; and he had no doubt that the investigation would be found to be as beneficial to the financial interests of Greece as to those of England.