MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDmoved an Address for a Return of the Military Forces of all Arms under orders to proceed, or on their way from this Country, Her Majesty's East Indian Territories, or the Colonies, to China, and similar Return as to the Naval Forces.
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLasked, whether the sanction of the Government to the production of these Returns had been asked and received?
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, that the Secretary to the Admiralty had agreed to his portion of the Returns moved for, and he understood from the Secretary to the Treasury that there was no objection to the rest of it.
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLI must say I think it is entirely without precedent that such a Return should be moved for without the Secretary of State for War being asked whether he had any objection.
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, he was quite willing to defer the Returns as to the military forces, so that the Secretary of State for War might be consulted, if it were desired. The Return of the naval forces had been assented to, as he had before stated, by the Secretary to the Admiralty.
§ MR. SIDNEY HERBERTsaid, he had no objection to the hon. Member having 717 the information he desired; but it was obviously inexpedient to make a public Return of the strength of a hostile expedition. The hon. Gentleman had seen the General Order giving the number of regiments proceeding to China, and he must say he thought it would be very inconvenient to publish the Return asked for.
§ Motion negatived.