§ SIR JAMES DUKEsaid, he rose to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can afford any information of the object of the French Minister proceeding from Washington to Richmond?
§ MR. LAYARDI fear, Sir, I can give no other answer to my hon. Friend than this, that, so far as Her Majesty's Government is informed, M. Mercier went to Richmond without any instruction whatever from his own Government. I may add, however, that his visit has been attended by no political results whatever.