§ MR. HUMEI wish to ask my noble Friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs a question, the answer to which, at this moment, will be of some importance. There is great anxiety in this country that we should keep aloof from all warlike interference on the Continent, and some apprehension has been excited at observing that Lord Minto seems to be going from place to place in Italy as the authorised agent of Great Britain. He went in a ship-of-war from Naples to negotiate between that country and Sicily. It is of the greatest importance that we should abstain from all interference in Continental quarrels; and I hope that my noble Friend will take this opportunity of explaining the proceedings of Lord Minto.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLI think that my noble Friend (Lord Palmerston) did explain to the House on a former occasion in what capacity Lord Minto was acting between Naples and Sicily. Lord Minto had credentials to the King of Naples; and having been asked by His Majesty to go to Naples, he was then requested both by the King and by the Neapolitan Ministers to interpose the good offices of this country to make the terms which Naples had offered to the Sicilians acceptable in Sicily. Lord Minto, as representative of an Ally of the King of Naples, thought that he could do no less than interpose in the manner 1144 suggested, merely offering his good offices, and he did proceed in a ship-of-war with such terms as he thought would be satisfactory to the Sicilians, and to which it was understood they would agree. And though he went in a ship-of-war, it was with no intention of using force, or of interfering in any way between the two people. I think—as representing the Ally of the King of Naples—to bring the two countries into harmony under the one Crown, would have been only a friendly service, and one which he could not well have refused attempting. Lord Minto acted in the capacity of Minister of this country, but without any view of interfering further than by interposing as I have stated.