QUESTION. (Hansard, 5 July 1860)

§ LORD JOHN RUSSELL

said, that after the intelligence of the bombardment of Palermo, and the great suffering which that bombardment had entailed upon its unfortunate citizens, had reached her Majesty's Government, they had taken into consideration the question of what steps they should adopt in order to prevent the 1382 occurrence of similar atrocities at Naples or Messina. Now, he should wish to observe that there were two points which must be borne in mind in dealing with that subject, the one involving the question of the admissibility of the interference of the English Government with the civil and internal discords of another country, while the second—supposing the objection upon the ground of principle to be got over—involved not only the difficulty but the impossibility of issuing such precise and definite orders to the commanders of Her Majesty's vessels of war as to enable them to distinguish between that which was legitimately defensive action on the part of the troops of the King of Naples against the attacks of a mob in insurrection, and that which was a wanton destruction of the city of Naples, and of the lives of its inhabitants. Such being the case, Her Majesty's Government had altogether refrained from issuing instructions which would enable our naval commanders to act by force against Naples or Messina. Her Majesty's Ministers had, however, strongly remonstrated with the Government of the King of Naples against the renewal at either of those ports of those dreadful scenes which had occurred at Palermo, and he was happy to be in a position to add that he had received accounts from our Minister at Naples, which stated that he hoped there would be no scenes of bloodshed whatever in that city, and which led him (Lord John Russell) to believe that there was no prospect at present of a bombardment taking place. He might further state that he had heard that morning that the Constitution of 1848 had been proclaimed at Naples, and that elections of representatives to a Legislative Assembly, which was to meet there in the month of September, were about to take place. It would therefore be seen that the Neapolitan people would have it in their power to dispose of their own affairs. He might mention that in this matter there had been rumours from time to time with respect to the conduct of Her Majesty's forces and of Her Majesty's Ministers abroad which were very erroneous. There was a report, the House would remember, some time ago, that the fort of Castellamare was occupied by the British Admiral during the evacuation of Palermo. That report gave great uneasiness in some quarters, and it was supposed that Her Majesty's forces were about to take possession of Castellamare. But there was no truth, no foundation whatever, in the Re- 1383 ports. There was another report, which occasioned inquiry in "another place," that Her Majesty's Minister at Naples had interfered to induce the Neapolitan Government to restore the two vessels captured off Palermo with passengers, and taken into Gaeta. He had received a despatch from the British Minister at Naples, stating that he had not interfered at all in the matter. At the same time he was happy to state that the Neapolitan Government had spontaneously given up the vessels, and that they were at liberty to return to Genoa.