§ LORD CLAUD HAMILTONsaid, he wished to ask Her Majesty's Government whether any orders or instructions had been issued to the British Authorities at Hong Kong, or to the Admiral in command of the Squadron in the Chinese Waters, suspending or superseding the directions given by Earl Grey in November, 1847, whereby offensive operations against the Chinese were peremptorily forbidden without previous sanction from this Country; and, if any such order had been sent, whether they would lay a Copy of the same on the Table of the House.
§ MR. LABOUCHERESir, no instructions relating to this subject have been sent to the authorities at Hong Kong subsequent to the date of the papers to which the noble Lord has referred.