§ MR. MILNER GIBSONSir, I wish to put a question to the Prime Minister regarding the mode resorted to by the British Government for raising a Foreign Legion, and to ask whether any communication has been received by him from any Foreign Power with reference to that subject? I have seen a letter from Bremen, complaining very much that vessels of war have been placed in the Weser and Elbe, and that they have been made the receptacles for persons who were induced to enlist in the English service. I wish to ask, therefore, whether the Government has received any communication from the Hanse Towns upon that subject; and I beg to express my opinion that, whether it be right or wrong to have a Foreign Legion, we ought not to raise it in any manner which is inconsistent with the municipal laws of other countries, but that we should respect the laws of other nations. There was an article in The Times newspaper that morning, having reference to the United States; and, so far as I can collect, it appears that there has been an endeavour to raise men there for the British Foreign Legion, which is contrary to the law of the United States. I believe that the Government of the United States publicly proclaimed that they would not take part with either of the belligerents in this war, permitting neither the fitting up of Russian privateers nor the recruiting of men for the British army. I do not know what the facts of the case are, having only seen that allusion in The Times, but I beg to ask whether the noble Lord can give the House any information upon, what I must call, this very important sub- 1661 ject? I will only add, that I cannot, for the life of me, see if this war is so popular in England, and all the people are dying to come forward to fight the battles of their country, what reason there can be for having recourse to improper practices in order to raise a Foreign Legion.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONIt is well known, Sir, that Her Majesty's Government have established a depôt at Heligoland, where they are ready to enlist any persons who come from Germany; and, whatever laws there may be in some States against enlistment within the territory of those States, there is no law in any of them to prevent the free movement of persons who may choose to quit the territory for any purpose whatsoever. With regard to the question which arose in the United States, I beg to inform the right hon. Gentleman that a similar arrangement was made at Halifax, by which any persons going there from whatever quarter might be enrolled; but it appearing that that had led to questions within the territory of the United States, as to whether or not the law of that country had been violated, Her Majesty's Government, being desirous that no such questions should by possibility arise, has put an end to the enlistment of forces which used to take place at Halifax.
§ MR. MILNER GIBSONI think, Sir, that the noble Lord has a little misunderstood my question. I asked him whether British men-of-war had been stationed in the Weser and the Elbe for the purpose of being the receptacle for men enlisting in Hamburg or Bremen, and carrying those men away—because that is the point.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONThat is no violation whatever of the law of any country. I believe that there are vessels stationed there which receive on board any persons who choose to take a passage to Heligoland.