§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that an inquiry was made last night respecting the case of Mr. Mather. The noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) inquired whether the result of the judicial inquiry conducted at Florence had been transmitted to this country. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) found that the evidence taken before that tribunal had been sent to this country; and he was bound to say 1304 it appeared to him that the inquiry had been ably and impartially conducted. The result of the inquiry substantiated the grievance, or rather he might say the outrage, of which Mr. Mather complained; and, under these cirumstances, the Government had made a demand on the Government of Tuscany for compensation to Mr. Mather. The Government of Tuscany was an independent Government, and claimed the rights of an independent State. It maintained diplomatic relations with Her Majesty, and it was therefore bound to fulfil the duties and incur the responsibility of an independent State. To the Government of Tuscany, then, that demand for reparation was made for an outrage committed on a person whom the Government of that country was bound to defend from the misconduct of any person in that territory. With respect to any application to the Austrian Government on this subject, to which the noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) referred last night, the late Government very properly did not make any formal application to the Austrian Government, They felt, as did the present Government, that the case lay between this country and Tuscany, and that the official application for redress must be made to Tuscany. But the late Government very properly entered into an explanation with the Austrian Government on the subject, which explanation was now concluded, and from the conciliatory and satisfactory tone of the Austrian Government, Her Majesty's Government had every reason to believe that the result would be satisfactory to this country.