§ Sir R. Peelwished to hear from the noble Lord, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whether any steps had been taken to settle the international question between England and France as to the mutual rights of fishing in the waters on the coasts of the two countries, and, also, as to the regulations for the protection of the fisheries. This was a matter of great importance, as containing the seeds of dissatisfaction between the two countries. If anything like a bad feeling should arise between the two countries the most evil consequences might spring out of this question, small as the matter might now appear to be.
§ Viscount Palmerstonsaid, that the first question had been referred to Commissioners that had been appointed by the two countries, and which met at Granville; they had not yet come to any satisfactory conclusion, but some matters that had grown up had been referred to the respective governments. There was still a larger question on the subject of the fisheries which had not been committed to the Commissioners, but communications had been made on the subject by the two governments, but he did not feel himself justified in going into any explanations on the subject at present.