§ MR. FINNIEsaid, he would beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any and what further information has been received from Her Majesty's Minister at Rio de 769 Janeiro as to the trial of the crew of the "Mary Hamilton," who have been detained in prison in Bio since the 26th March 1869, and if the Government will urge upon the Brazilian authorities the necessity of their case being inquired into without further delay?
MR. OTWAYsaid, in reply, that the latest information in the Foreign Office as to the trial of the crew of the Mary Hamilton was contained in a despatch from Mr. Mathew, received on the 18th instant, by which he learnt that the trial of the crew for the murder of the captain occurred on the 20th of December, when the men were acquitted. The Public Prosecutor, however, has appealed against that decision, and the Government was informed that a fortnight at least must elapse from the date of appeal before the case was finally decided. As regarded the latter part of the hon. Member's Question, he would say that when attention was drawn by himself and others to the prolonged imprisonment of these men, Her Majesty's Minister at Rio was instructed to remonstrate with the Brazilian Government, and to point out the extreme hardship of detaining British seamen ten months in prison without bringing them to trial. Mr. Mathew was also further instructed to employ legal aid, if it should be considered necessary, for the defence of the crew.