§ MR. ALDERMAN LUSKasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been directed to the seizure by the Spanish Authorities of an English Steam Vessel, called the Tornado, on the high seas, in August last, and to the imprisonment and trial of the crew; and, if so, whether the Government has taken any steps to ascertain if the capture is lawful; if the representations concerning the harsh treatment of the men are well founded or not; and if there is any probability of their being soon released and sent home to this Country?
LORD STANLEYEver since the capture of the Tornado in August last the case has occupied the careful and anxious consideration of the Government. We have watched it in all its stages, and we have been in frequent, I may say, almost continual communication upon it with the Law Officers of the Crown. According to the well understood rule of International Law, we had no right to object to the trial of the vessel taking place before a Spanish Prize Court; but we did remonstrate strenuously, and more than once, against what appeared to us to be the unreasonable length of time occupied in the preliminary investigation. Within the last few weeks we have had all the proceedings before us. Acting under legal advice, we have found ourselves authorized and compelled to protest against the illegal and informal character of some of the proceedings of that Court; that protest has only very lately been received by the Spanish Government, and I am not yet able to say what the result of it will be. With regard to the treatment of the men, and generally with regard to details, I think the best answer I can give to the hon. Member will be to ask him to wait a few days, when all the papers relating to the transaction will be laid before the House.