§ MR. DISRAELISir, the transactions relating to the Duchy of Savoy arc so peculiar in their character that perhaps the noble Lord will permit me to ask, Whether he has yet determined upon the propriety of producing the communications between 446 Her Majesty's Government and the Government of France, respecting the contemplated annexation of that duchy to the French Empire?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLI have considered that subject, and have communicated with Her Majesty's Ambassador in Paris, and I have come to the conclusion that it would not be proper to produce the papers for which the right hon. Gentleman asked the other day. I am quite willing, however, to state the general purport of those papers. In the beginning of July, in consequence of a despatch from Mr. Harris, the British Minister in Switzerland, Count Walewski was asked by Earl Cowley whether there was any truth in the rumour that there was a project on foot for the annexation of Savoy to the Empire of France? Some conversation passed between them, but Count Walewski's remarks were not explicit on the subjection which Earl Cowley asked for information. Some time after this Count Walewski assured the noble Earl that there was no intention on the part of the Emperor of the French to propose the annexation in question. On the former occasion Earl Cowley stated that such a proposal would be viewed with disapprobation by Her Majesty's Government, and the language he held was approved by Her Majesty's Government. On the second occasion Her Majesty's Government directed a despatch to the British Ambassador in Paris, expressing the satisfaction with which Her Majesty's Government had received the assurance that no such project was in contemplation.