§ Sir H. W. Barronwished to put a question as to an occurrence which had created great excitement in the city of Waterford. On Sunday last, a war-steamer had; come up the river, to the great surprise and 1303 alarm of the inhabitants of the city and neighbourhood, and landed a large armed force with bayonets fixed, and the officers with their drawn swords; and the first question asked by the officers, on their landing, was, " Where are the rebels?— are the barracks taken? " All this created very naturally an extraordinary degree of excitement in that most peaceful district. He wished to ask the noble Lord if he could give the House any information as to the cause of this military expedition into so peaceful a neighbourhood?
§ Lord Eliotthought there was no foundation whatever for saying that the officers had asked, " Where are the rebels?" and that this was merely one of the embellishments of the story. The fact was, that the Commander-in-chief had received such information as induced him to think, that some addition to the garrison of Waterford was necessary. He recommended that such an addition should be made, and the troops were despatched to Waterford accordingly. He believed it was not found necessary that this addition should be permanent, and they had subsequently returned to Dublin.