§ MR. CAVEsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been drawn to the debate in the Spanish Senate on the 23r d of last month, on the question of declaring the Slave Trade piracy, and whether any Instructions have been sent to Her Majesty's Minister at Madrid on the subject?
§ MR. LAYARD, in reply, said, the attention of the Government had been called to this debate, and they rejoiced to find that there were Spanish statesmen who were alive to the enormous evils which resulted from the continuance of the slave 847 trade in Cuba, and that these statesmen were willing that some means should be adopted, if possible, to put an end to the slave trade in that island, and check the practice, unfortunately too common in that country, of connivance on the part of the Spanish authorities. The Government had entered into communications with the Spanish Government on the subject.