§ Mr. Blewittsaid, that the right hon. Baronet had stated last night that the amount of Sycee silver received from the Chinese amounted to 340.000l., but that was more than the whole miscellaneous revenue, according to the last returns. He wished to know whether the right hon. Baronet would lay upon the Table of the House an account of the whole of the ransom paid by the Chinese converted into British money.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, he could promise the hon. Member, that as soon as the Sycee silver should be coined into British money, he would let him know what it amounted to. He would take this opportunity of stating that the exact value of the Sycee silver, for which credit was taken under the head of miscellaneous revenue, was 302,000l. There was an additional quantity of the silver, for which credit would be taken in the public accounts as soon as it should be coined.
§ Mr. Blewittexpressed a wish that no part of the money should be applied until he had an opportunity of bringing forward a motion of which he had given notice.
§ Lord John Russellinformed the hon. Member that the money must be distributed as prize money, under the authority of an Order in Council.
§ Mr. Blewittasked, whether instructions bad been sent out to China by the Admiralty for the adjudication of prizes?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that proper instructions had been sent out, and courts appointed, one of which was at Singapore.