§ MR. CORBALLYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he has communicated with the British Consul in Rome with respect to the Passports of British subjects being required to be viséd, while those of American subjects do not require any visa. He did not attribute any blame to the British Consul, and he begged distinctly to disclaim any intention of making any personal attack on that gentleman when he alluded to the subject the other evening?
§ MR. LAYARDsaid, the fact was perfectly true, that fees were levied on the visa of all passports in Rome, except those of American subjects, and the reason of that was that when the unfortunate civil war broke out in America the subjects of the formerly United States, but who now belonged to the so-called Confederate States, could not get their passports viséd unless they were prepared to subscribe a declaration that they were loyal subjects of the United States. Those persons who refused to do that were unable to obtain passports, and therefore Cardinal Antonelli consented to relieve American subjects from the necessity of having their passports viséd. It was strictly an exceptional case, and the Roman Government exacted the visa from all other persons. Mr. Severn, the British Consul, did not receive the fees himself; they were regularly remitted to Her Majesty's Government. The charge, therefore, that Mr. Severn was in 1575 collusion with the police was utterly unfounded, and had given that gentleman great pain.