§ Mr. Herriesbegged to put a question to the hon. Secretary for the Treasury. He wished to know whether any communications had passed between the Treasury and the applicants for compensation for opium destroyed in China since the date of the last communication, in which the hon. Secretary had informed them that it was not the intention of the Treasury to make any application to the House for a vote to meet their claims?
§ Mr. R. Gordonsaid, there had been no written application from the parties, nor any communication to them from the Treasury, since the date of the note referred to by the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. Herriesrepeated his inquiry,—if there had been no intimation of opinion given to the parties since that time on the part of the Treasury?
§ Mr. R. Gordonreplied—No intimation whatever. All that had taken place was the mere fact that certain formal notices had been served at the Treasury by notaries public.
§ The House resolved itself into a Committee of