HC Deb 23 January 1855 vol 136 cc910-2
MR. LAYARD

wished to inquire of the noble Lord the President of the Council whether he had any objection to lay on the table of the House the correspondence which had taken place with foreign Powers, relating to the treaty of the 2nd December, 1854, and especially any document communicated to the Russian Government, containing the interpretation placed by the English Government and that of France on "the four points," not for negotiation but for acceptance?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

I cannot at present say whether it is possible to lay on the table any of the correspondence to which my hon. Friend refers. As regards the correspondence generally, I wish to say that it would not be usual, nor for the convenience of the public service under present circumstances, to lay it on the table; but there may be one of those papers which it may he possible to lay on the table, and I will consider that point before I give a final answer. Perhaps, as my hon. Friend has asked this question, I may state generally what has occurred with respect to "the four points," and in what state that question stands at present. At the end of November the Russian Government, through their Minister at Vienna, declared their acceptance of what are called the four points; and on the 2nd of December a treaty was signed between France, England, and Austria. On the 28th of December a meeting was held by the Ministers of France, England, and Austria, at Vienna, with Prince Gortchakoff, the Minister of Russia. At that meeting the French Minister read, on the part of England and Austria, as well as his own Government, the interpretation which the three Powers had put on the four points which were to be considered as the basis of negotiation. I will mention only that, with respect to the third point, it was proposed by that interpretation to put an end to the preponderance of Russia in the Black Sea. Prince Gortchakoff stated that he would not agree to this interpretation, but that he would request further instructions from his Government. Ten days afterwards he informed Count Buol that he had received those instructions, and on the 7th or 8th of January another meeting was held at the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at Vienna. At that meeting Prince Gortchakoff read a memorandum, which he said he had received, containing the views of his Government. It was replied to by Count Buol, Lord Westmoreland, and Baron de Bourqueney, that they had no authority to receive any such memorandum, and that they must require, as the basis of negotiations, the consent of the Russian Plenipotentiary to the interpretation of which he had already received a note. The Russian Plenipotentiary, Lord Westmoreland states in his despatch, then withdrew the memorandum he had read, and declared his acceptance, on the part of his Government, of the communicated interpretation as the basis of negotiation. My hon. Friend will see that by that Act the Russian Plenipotentiary accepted this interpretation as the basis of negotiation, of course reserving to himself the power, when this basis shall have been laid down in a definite article, of making any observations on the part of his Government which he should think proper. The Government of Her Majesty have declared their readiness to enter into negotiations on this basis, but hitherto no full powers have been given to any Minister to negotiate.

SIR H. WILLOUGHBY

wished to ask if the noble Lord opposite would consent to produce a copy of the protocol of the 28th December, explaining the four points laid down in the note of the 8th of August?

MR. LAYARD

wished to know whether the House was to understand that negotiations were actually going on, or that they were suspended?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

With respect to the question of the hon. Baronet, I beg to say that is a point I have reserved for consideration, and I doubt whether that protocol can now be laid on the table. As to the question last put to me, I beg to say that negotiations have not yet begun.

MR. BRIGHT

understood the noble Lord to say that certain terms were offered to Russia, and that, after some deliberation, Russia had consented also to that one of the four points which had for its object to put an end to the predominance of Russia in the Black Sea. He hoped the noble Lord would not withdraw from that, and he wanted to know whether instructions were about to be sent out for the purpose of opening negotiations, as the noble Lord left the House to infer the contrary? Would, when a distinct proposition had been accepted, instructions for the prosecution of negotiations be sent out?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

I have already stated that Her Majesty's Government have expressed their willingness to negotiate on those points, and I cannot state anything further at the present moment.