LORD JOHN HAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether there is any Despatch in the Foreign Office from Mr. Elliot, dated 1862 or 1863, stating that he had intimated to Mr. Boulgaris, the head of the Provisional Government of Greece, that Her Majesty's Government would see with pleasure the annexation of Epirus and Thessaly to Greece, or words to that effect; and, if the noble Lord will lay the same upon the table?
LORD STANLEYI understand that an intimation of the nature referred to in the Question was conveyed to the Turkish Government at that time, but was conveyed, as I explained to the House on a former occasion, only on the supposition which then existed that the Porte would be inclined to receive favourably a proposal of that kind; and when that supposition was found to be erroneous, the proposal was withdrawn and has not been again put forward. The papers in question are of rather a confidential character, and I do not think it would be for the benefit of the public service to produce them.