MR. HUMEbegged to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any and what measures have been adopted to bring from Egypt the obelisk, known by the name of Cleopatra's Needle, which was presented by the late Mehemet Ali to, and accepted by, George the Fourth for the British nation? He had heard that it had been presented to the proprietors of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that the conditions to which Her Majesty's Government had agreed with the proprietors of the Crystal Palace were to this effect: That the obelisk should be transported to England at their expense, and in case the Crystal Palace did not become so popular as it was expected, that then the Government should have a right, upon payment of the expenses, to take possession of it.
MR. HUMEsaid, that as a public monument had been taken away from the public, it would be advisable to have some public document containing the terms and the manner of its cession.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERhad no objection to place the document upon the table of the House. The terms, of it were, that the country should have the obelisk whenever they paid the expenses of bringing it over.