HC Deb 09 February 1857 vol 144 cc346-7
MR. LAYARD

said, he wished to put the following question to the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Control, in the absence of the First Lord of the Treasury:—Whether Feroukh Khan, the Persian Ambassador to the Emperor of the French, is now negotiating with Lord Cowley under the authority of the same full powers which he possessed when at Constantinople; and when it is the intention of the Government to place the Papers connected with the present War with Persia on the table of the House?

MR. VERNON SMITH

Sir, Her Majesty's Government have every reason to believe that the powers possessed by Feroukh Khan, in his mission to Paris, are the same which he possessed when at Constantinople, but the circumstances are somewhat different. When Feroukh Khan arrived at Constantinople, he said, that he required further instructions from his Government before he could enter into a final arrangement, and that he must therefore correspond with the Court of Teheran. He left Constantinople for Paris, charged with a special mission there, and since his arrival at Paris I understand he has received definite instructions on all points. Negotiations are now pending, which I trust will arrive at an amicable conclusion. My noble Friend at the head of the Government stated the other night that, as negotiations are pending, he thought it would be better not to produce the papers on this subject, although the original intention was to produce them. That objection still continues, and I hope that the forbearance of the House will be exercised both with regard to the papers and to any discussion of this subject. If, however, any selection from the papers can be made which may show the causes of the war without interfering with the negotiations, there will be no objection to their publication.

MR. LAYARD

said, he would avail himself of the first opportunity afforded by the rules of the House to move that some of the papers be laid upon the table.

MR. GLADSTONE

There are two papers, Sir, on which I consider it is material the House should be informed, and which fall, I think, within the right hon. Gentleman's, the President of the Board of Control, definition. One is the copy of any orders from Her Majesty's Government under which the expedition sailed for the Persian Gulf, and the second the copy of the correspondence between the Directors of the East India Company and the Government as to the mode in which the charges of the war are to be borne.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

said, he wished to know whether there would be any objection to include a copy of the Treaty of Herat made in 1853?

MR. VERNON SMITH

There can be no objection to that, and it is intended to include it in the selection.