MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCKI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, during the last Administration of the late Sir Robert Peel and subsequently, the British Government was diplomatically repre- 1910 sented at the Papal Court of Rome by a functionary who, although nominally attached to the British Legation of Tuscany, was in, fact accredited to the Pope of Rome?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONAt the time referred to, and subsequently, an Attaché to the British Mission in Tuscany resided at Rome, and was in confidential communication with the Papal Government; but he was not accredited to the Holy See.
§ MR. SUMMERSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether there are any Papers in the Foreign Office relating to the Special Mission of the Duke of Norfolk to the Vatican in 1887; and, if there are, whether they can be laid before Parliament?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITH; There are some Despatches in the case of the Mission of the Duke of Norfolk, and if it is desired they could be produced, but they are purely formal; there is nothing of a political character in them.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I wish also to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether there are any Papers in the Foreigh Office relating to the Mission of Sir George Errington to the Vatican, and, if there are, whether they can be laid before Parliament?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHThere is an extensive correspondence reaching from 1881 to 1885 in the Foreign Office relating to Sir George Errington's communications with the Vatican, which were left for future Secretaries of State in accordance with the undertaking given by Mr. Gladstone in 1883. As many of them relate to individuals, or to questions affecting Foreign States, they would require careful examination before any decision could be taken as to the possibility of presenting them to Parliament.
§ MR. A. O'CONNOR, (Donegal, E.)Were there not two Missions of the Duke of Norfolk to Rome?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHThe Duke of Norfolk did go twice: whether there were two Missions I cannot say.
§ MR. A. O'CONNORWere there not two separate charges against the public moneys?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI think not.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)If the right hon. Gentleman produces any Papers to the House in connection with the Duke of Norfolk Mission, will he produce all 1911 with regard to Sir George Errington? I would remind him that when the matter was before the House recently he undertook, at the request of the right hon. Member for Mid Lothian (Mr. Gladstone) to look into the correspondence of previous Missions as well, and to consider whether they could not be brought before the House at the same time.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHIt is perfectly accurate to say that I did undertake to consider whether I could produce a sort of narrative of the communications that had passed between successive Governments through the medium of gentlemen at Rome and the Vatican. That is a matter that will involve considerable labour and some time, and, therefore, I am not able to give any decision at present.
§ MR. DILLONDo we understand that the matter will be considered at a future time?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHCertainly.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)With regard to the ambiguous reply of the right hon. Gentleman as to the Mission of the Duke of Norfolk, I wish to ask if he was sent to Rome twice, and received different instructions on each occasion?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon. Gentleman will see that I am not prepared to answer questions of this kind off-hand. I can simply answer the question on the Paper of which I have had notice.
§ * SIR J. FERGUSSONI have answered the question already. On one occasion on which the Duke of Norfolk went to Rome he had no Mission whatever from Her Majesty's Government, and the second time it was on a purely formal and complimentary Mission.
MR. O'KELLTWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to produce that portion of the correspondence relating exclusively to Ireland?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI am not aware that any portion of the correspondence relates exclusively to Ireland, and, therefore, can give no undertaking of the kind.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLMay I ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Sir G. Errington's negotiations with the Vatican from 1881 to 1885 were such as to constitute his proceedings there a Mission in the ordinary sense of the word.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHMy hon. Friend will see that this is a question which is more a matter of opinion than a matter of fact. Sir G. Errington did not occupy the position of an accredited Ambassador or Minister to the Holy See, but, undoubtedly, he was the medium for making communications between the Government of Great Britain and the Holy See.
§ * MR. SUMMERSDid Mr. Errington receive any appointment or any remuneration for his services?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI believe he was made a Baronet afterwards.