HC Deb 10 June 1864 vol 175 cc1605-6

Resolution reported. That Her Majesty be authorised to relinquish, in favour of King George the First, the King of the Hellenes, during his reign, the sum of Four Thousand Pounds sterling a year, and to that extent to release the Greek Treasury from the obligation of a certain arrangement, concluded at Athens in the month of June, 1860, in reference to the Greek Loan.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

wished to know how the Consolidated Fund was affected by the Resolution. If he understood the Resolution, it seemed that there was a euro of.£4,000 a year which we claimed against the Greek Government, and which was now to be handed over to the King of the Greeks as a present.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, the hon. Baronet need be under no apprehension that the Consolidated Fund would suffer. It was a mere question of foregoing a portion of a claim upon the Greek Government. The protecting Powers had agreed to forego each the payment of £4,000 a year from Greece, and the Resolution would but relieve Greece from remitting that amount annually to this country.

COLONEL DUNNE

said, he would remind the House that the Greek Government had undertaken to pay pensions to certain civil servants of Great Britain. He thought it was a strange proceeding to abandon a debt due from Greece, while at the same time we were leaving our public servants to the mercy of the Greek Government.

Resolution agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. MASSEY, Viscount PALMERSTON, Mr. CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and Mr. LAYARD.