§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, When he will lay upon the table of the House the Despatches which he has already stated have been sent to the Governor of Jamaica and the Governors of other Colonies, respecting the proclamation of permission of Martial Law within the Colonies?
§ MR. ADDERLEY, in reply, stated that he expected to receive the papers referred to daily, and he would present them to Parliament as soon as possible. They would include the Despatch of Lord Carnarvon in January last, addressed not to the Governor of Jamaica, but the Governor of Antigua, which had been sent as a circular to the other Governors in the West Indies, requesting them to submit to their respective Legislatures a proposition for the repeal of any Act or portion of Acts giving to any Governor in the West Indies power to proclaim Martial Law. There had been also a Departmental Committee on the subject, from whose report rules had been drafted for caution and guidance to colonial governors, in case of insurrection or emergency beyond the reach of ordinary law. There would be ample time after the production of the Papers referred to, for their consideration, before the discussion of the Motion of which notice had been given. He believed that it would be necessary to have some further [legislation on the subject, in the way of 269 giving larger powers of arrest in cases of necessity.