§ MR. HILDYARDI wish to put a question to the noble Lord at the head of the Government. It appears by the information which we have received that the steamer bringing the intelligence from the East arrived at Trieste at nine o'clock yesterday morning. A sudden fall in the funds at one o'clock yesterday leaves no doubt that the City had by that time obtained information respecting the events which had occurred in India. At two o'clock this morning, however, the noble Lord stated to the House that the Government had received no telegraphic despatch from Trieste. The question that I would ask is, whether the noble Lord is able to explain to the House and to the country how it happens that at a moment of this nature the Government are so far behind in receiving information of events of such deep importance?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI am really unable to explain to the hon. Member why it was that the Government telegraphic despatch only arrived at an early hour this morning. I know that private parties had telegraphic communications from Turin in the middle of the day yesterday, but we had nothing till this morning.
§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYMay I ask the noble Lord whether he has received any other telegraphic communication than that which has been published in the newspapers?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONI cannot 691 pretend to say whether the telgraphic despatch is exactly similar to that which has been published in the newspapers; but the despatch which we have received has been communicated to the evening papers. The substance is the same as that which has already appeared.
§ House adjourned at seven minutes before Six o'clock.