§ MR. BYNGsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it was his intention to lay before the House the last annual Report of the Governor of Ceylon on the state of that Colony; and whether he would, at the same time, furnish a copy of the letter of Viscount Torrington to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the same subject, under date Jan. 17, 1857.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREsaid, that the Report from the Governor of Ceylon, to which his hon. Friend alluded, usually appeared in what was called the "Bluebook" for the year from that Colony, and would be laid before the House together with the Reports from the other Colonies in the course of the next month. Lord Torrington, who naturally took a great interest in the affairs of Ceylon, had asked him (Mr. Labouchere) privately to be allowed to see that Report, and after having seen it he took exception to some of its statements, which he thought contained a reflection on his own conduct. He (Mr. Labouchere) believed that that was a complete misconception on the part of Lord Torrington of the language used by Sir Henry Ward; but as his noble Friend considered himself aggrieved in the matter, and was anxious that the letter he had addressed to him (Mr. Labouchere) should be communicated to the House, he should have no objection to its production if it should be moved for after the Report of Sir Henry Ward should have been laid on the table.