HC Deb 29 June 1855 vol 139 cc297-8
MR. H. BAILLIE

said, he begged to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any Report had been received by the Government from Mr. Doria relative to the conduct of the Austrian troops in Moldavia and Wallachia, and whether he had any objection to lay the Report upon the table of the House?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that Mr. Doria, who was attached to the Embassy at Constantinople, had been sent upon a temporary employment to Bucharest to act as private secretary to the Consol during the illness of the gentleman who filled that office. During that period Mr. Doria did write to the Ambassador at Constantinople a letter containing an account of several instances of misconduct on the part of the Austrian troops in the Principalities. Through some breach of confidence—for such he must consider it—that letter had appeared in the newspapers. Under those circumstances, although he thought it would be undesirable to give the letter a more official character by presenting it to Parliament, yet, as all the statements it contained had already been published, if the hon. Gentleman moved for it, he did not know that any objection could be made to its production.

LORD WILLIAM GRAHAM

said, he would take that opportunity of asking the First Lord of the Treasury whether Government had any reason to suppose that Austria had diminished, or intended to diminish, her army by 140,000 men, and, if so, whether Government intended to take any additional measures for filling the ranks of the army and the militia up to the numbers originally voted by Parliament? The part of the question which related to the army had been answered in another place, but no statement had been made with regard to the militia.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that the Austrian Government had informed the Government of this country that, on account of considerations of the health of the reserves of the Austrian army, they were to be allowed to go home on furlough, subject to being compelled to return to their ranks at a week's or a fortnight's notice, and that some of the cantonments of the Austrian army were to be changed also with reference to the health of the troops. No doubt every endeavour would be made not only to raise the numbers of our army to the proper amount, but also to replace the men who have volunteered from the militia into the line, or who have altogether retired.