HC Deb 15 July 1859 vol 154 cc1298-9
MR. HORSMAN

said, he wished to ask the noble Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether any communication had been made to the British Government by the Governments of Austria and France with respect to the terms of the convention of peace entered into between them, or with respect i to the mode in which it was proposed to give effect to that convention, and whether any communication had been made in regard to it to the other Powers of Europe who were parties to the Treaty of Vienna?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

was understood to say that no communication of the exact terms of the convention of peace, concluded between the contending parties, had been made to Her Majesty's Government. Count Walewski informed Lord Cowley, at Paris, and the French Ambassador in London told him (Lord J. Russell) that the convention had been signed, and stated the purport of the document in the terms already known to the House; but no communication of its exact terms had been made either to the English Ambassador at Paris or to Her Majesty's Government. He had directed Lord Cowley to ask for an explanation as to the exact terms of the treaty, and the mode in which it was pro- posed to carry it into effect, and the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in France was that no further statement could be made until the Emperor arrived at Paris. He believed the Emperor was expected there on Monday next, and after that period he should expect the particulars of the convention from Her Majesty's Minister at Paris. He believed that a communication similar to that made to the English Government had been made to the Government of Prussia at Berlin; but he did not know whether any such communication had been made to Russia or other States, who were parties to the Treaty of Vienna.