§ MR. GRANT DUFFsaid, he would beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government has been informed of, or believes in, the existence of any agreement, written or verbal, between Austria and the Porte, whereby the former power engages to give assistance to the latter in case of an outbreak in European Turkey.
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, the hon. Gentleman had put a very comprehensive, and, as he thought, a very unprecedented question to him, and he hoped he might, without giving offence, express a doubt whether any advantage could be derived, either by that House or by the country, from putting questions of such a vague and roving character. He could only say, in reply, that no communication of the character described had been received by Her Majesty's Government, and the hon. Gentleman would pardon him if, in the absence of any facts, he refrained from expressing any belief on the subject.