§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign affairs, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called 1045 to a certain Minute of Instructions alleged to have been issued by the Government of the Confederate States with reference to the seizure and disposal by Confederate cruisers of neutral vessels and cargoes without any adjudication by a Prize Court; whether such instructions meet the approval of Her Majesty's Government; and, if not, what measures have been taken to prevent their being put in force?
§ MR. LAYARD, in reply, said, the attention of the Government had been called to those instructions, which were disapproved by Her Majesty's Government. It would not, however, be consistent with the interests of the public service that he should detail the steps which they had directed to be taken.