§ SIR DE LACY EVANSrose to put a question to the noble Lord at the head of the Government respecting the result of the intercession of the British Government, with that of Portugal concerning the generals and troops who were lately granted an honourable capitulation by Marshal Saldanha, and who were said to have been since transported to the penal and unhealthy colony of Angola. The troops referred to had retired with the honours of war, and expected and were promised to be treated as soldiers usually were under such circumstances. He regretted, however, that that had not been the case. They had been marched to Lisbon, put on board ship, and crowded together in a cruel and most oppressive manner. He admitted the right of the Government to detain those parties and keep them in safe custody, but he denied their right to transport them to an unhealthy penal colony. Nearly three months had now elapsed since the Government had promised to intercede, but as yet nothing had transpired. He trusted the noble Lord would be able to inform the House that an order had been sent out for the return of those unfortunate prisoners from Angola.
LORD J. RUSSELLIt is quite true that certain prisoners, who surrendered with the honours of war, were afterwards placed on board a ship of war in the harbour of Lisbon, and were afterwards or- 1273 dered to be sent in a brig to Angola. The ground stated for that determination was that a plot had been laid for their escape—that they had many friends in Lisbon—and that their escape could not otherwise have been prevented. In the opinion of the British Government that justification was not sufficient, and they instructed their representative at the Court of Lisbon to express very strongly their opinion of the harshness of that proceeding. We have not for the last ten days received any intelligence from Lisbon, but we expect shortly to receive further information. I am in hopes that those prisoners have not yet been sent to Angola; but we have received no intelligence that the original intention of the Portuguese Government has been altered.