HC Deb 17 May 1850 vol 111 cc235-6

Mr. COBDEN moved for a return of the British naval force in the Bay of Salamis and the other waters of Greece for the last three months. He said that his object in moving for this return was, that the House might be aware what force had been employed in collecting a debt of eight or nine thousand pounds; and as the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had informed them that the affair was finished, and as the fleet had, therefore, he presumed, been dispersed, he did not see how the right hon. Gentleman at the head of the Admiralty could offer any opposition to the Motion. The return would, perhaps, assist in the devising of some better mode of settling such trifling and trumpery disputes in future.

Motion made, and Question put— That there be laid before this House, a Return of the British Naval Force in the Bay of Salamis, and the other waters of Greece, on the 1st day of March, 1st day of April, and 1st day of May, giving the names of the vessels, with the numbers of their crews, and their complement of guns.

SIR F. T. BARING

said, he had already Stated to the hon. Gentleman privately what he must state to the House if the hon. Gentleman persisted in his Motion—that, consistently with his duty to the public service, he could not give the information which the hon. Gentleman required. It was one of the questions hardly agreeable to discuss in that House; and he must take upon himself the responsibility he had never yet heard refused to a public servant, to state that he did not think it consistent with the public service, and for other grave reasons, to give the information of the amount of force on a particular station at so late a period as was now moved for.

MR. BRIGHT

said, that similar returns to that moved for had been acceded to with regard to the stations at Malta and the Tagus; and as it could not be sup posed that other Powers were not acquainted with the amount of force employed, it was absolutely puerile to make the public service the pretence for refusal. The House had a right to know on all occasions where our ships were, what were their number, and what they were doing; and it was simply because matters connected with foreign policy were all managed by some hocus pocus at the Foreign Office that this country often found itself in quarrels, from which it had great difficulty in extricating itself.

MR. HUME

was afraid that the refusal to accede to the Motion would create mystery where there ought to be none. The right hon. Gentleman said he would take upon himself the responsibility. What responsibility? The ships were gone.

Mr. COBDEN

said, that he wanted the return simply as a record, and his Motion had no reference whatever to our present relations with France. He thought good might come out of the fact that the fleet had been employed in collecting a debt of about 8,000l. Would the right hon. Gentleman consent to the Motion if it were limited to the 1st of April or the 1st of March?

SIR F. T. BARING

said, he must object to the whole return.

MR. COBDEN

said, that as there was, he believed, a majority on the Treasury bench, it would be useless for him to divide.

Motion negatived.

The House adjourned at Two o'clock till Thursday next.