§ MR. LAYARDSir, an announcement has appeared in the Moniteur, the official organ of the French Government, that M. La Cour, on proceeding to Constantinople, was furnished with instructions to call upon the French fleet if necessary, and that similar instructions were sent to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, British Ambassador at the Sublime Porte; and that in pursuance of these instructions the two fleets have proceeded to the vicinity of the Dardanelles. I beg leave to ask the noble Lord whether this is the case, and whether the fleets of France and England have, according to this announcement, proceeded to any point near the Dardanelles—to Besika Bay, or as 58 near those straits as they are enabled to do, under existing treaties?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLI have to state, in answer to the question of my hon. Friend, that the announcement contained in the Moniteur is perfectly correct, and that orders have been given to the effect stated in the Moniteur. We have not, however, since the orders were given, received any account of the English fleet having left Malta, or of the French fleet having left Salamis, and proceeded to Besika Bay.
§ MR. DISRAELIPerhaps the noble Lord will tell us whether the instructions were given directly to the British Admiral at Malta, or to the Ambassador at Constantinople?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLOrders were sent to the British Ambassador at Constantinople, giving him power under certain limitations, and in accordance with certain instructions, to call up the British fleet; and orders were likewise sent, by a different course, to the British Admiral at Malta, directing him to proceed to Besika Bay.