§ MR. HUMEmoved for the following returns:—Copies of the instructions from Sir Francis Collier to Commander Farquhar, alluded to in Mr. Farquhar's report of the 25th day of August, 1849 (page 9); of Sir Francis Collier's report, adverted to in Lord Eddisbury's letter of the 9th day of November, 1849 (page 11); of Sir James Brooke's despatch to Lord Palmerston, 1220 relative to the building of a fort at the entrance of the Sakarran river, noticed in Sir James Brooke's letter of the 1st day of October, 1849, and of the answer of Lord Palmerston thereto; and, of the depositions taken by order of Sir C. Rawlinson, Recorder of Singapore, respecting the pirates destroyed by a force under the orders of Commander Farquhar, on the 31st day of July, 1849, for which Sir C. Rawlinson has granted certificates for bounty. He said he was induced to do so, in consequence of finding the papers which had been presented had been garbled. He wished to know why the instructions given by Sir F. Collier to Mr. Farquhar had been withheld?
SIR F. T. BARINGobserved, that there was no objection to these returns as far as the Admiralty was concerned. He had been pressed for the former return, and he had given all the papers which were ready, and others would shortly be furnished. Some, however, which had been asked for were not yet in the possession of the Admiralty, but when they arrived in this country they would be produced, but it would be necessary to send out for others.
§ MR. HUMEstated, that they would shortly be called upon to vote 98,000l. for head money for the destruction of pirates on the coast of Borneo, and, as he believed the proceedings to have been illegal, he wished for all the documents which could elucidate the matter or establish the charge, and if these papers were not in the possession of Her Majesty's Government, they had not acted in a way which was consistent with their duty to the public interest.
§ Returns ordered.