§ VISCOUNT RAYNHAMsaid, he would beg to ask the noble Lord at the head of the Government whether Her Majesty's Government have received any information in confirmation, or otherwise, of a Report, that on the 7th July last the Russian Government, notwithstanding a clause in the Treaty of Paris, had sent a hostile expedition across the Black Sea to the coast of Circassia?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that his noble Friend must be aware that the effect of the clause to which be had referred in the Treaty of Paris was, that the Black Sea should be neutral, with the exception that Russia and Turkey should be allowed a certain number of vessels for the purpose of police service on the coast. The other powers were to have two vessels each, in order to see that the regulations with regard to the mouths of the Danube were duly observed. Now, the eastern shore of the Black Sea—the coast of Circassia— was ceded to Russia by Turkey by the treaty of Adrianople. The treaty of Adrianople had also ceded to Russia certain ports by name upon the sea coast, including those he was about to mention. The Russians were still engaged in hostilities with the Circassian tribes upon the northern side of that coast, and Her Majesty's Government had heard that some of the cruisers which it was found necessary to maintain in that sea had taken measures to co-operate with the hostilities that were then being carried on against Circassia, and that the Russians were in possession 2076 of Ghelendjik, Soukhum Kale, and Redoubt Kale. But there was no reason to apprehend that Russia had taken any steps which would amount to a violation of the stipulations of the Treaty of Paris.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before Four o'clock.