§ Mr. Lindsayunderstood that instructions had been sent out to the Government of India to ascertain the value of the opium which had been surrendered to Captain Elliot. The right hon. Baronet had referred to those instructions on Thursday last, and per haps he would now state their purport. He wished also to know, whether a full opportunity would be given to the parties interested to press their claims for compensation.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, the instructions on the subject of the value of opium, to which he had referred on Thursday, were given in December last, and he had not the slightest objection to read the purport of them for the information of his hon. Friend. The Lords of the Treasury directed, that the Supreme Government of India should be instructed to cause a full and searching inquiry to be instituted at the earliest possible period into the actual value which each description of opium confiscated by the Chinese authorities in the months of March and April, 1839, bore in the market at the time when the confiscation took place; and that the result of this inquiry, with copies of the evidence and other documents connected with the subject, should be communicated to my Lords, together with any remarks which the Governor-general in Council might think proper to make in elucidation of the subject. He had no doubt whatever that the Governor-general would direct the inquiry to be made in the fullest and most satisfactory manner. With respect to the other part of the hon. Gentleman's inquiry, he was unable to return any satisfactory answer. The Governor-general would remit to this country, not merely the report which might be made, but the evidence taken on the subject.