§ MR. WATKIN WILLIAMSasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to an account in "The Callao and Lima Gazette" of the 24th July last, of the death of six British subjects at Malabrigo, on the coast of Peru, on the evening of the 25th June last, and of the suspicious circumstances attending their death; whether the Government have received an official or other reliable information upon the subject; whether they have sent or intend to send any instructions to the British Minister at Lima to make a full inquiry into the circumstances; and, whether there is any British man-of-war stationed on the coast, and, if so, where?
§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDI have noticed, Sir, the statement to which the hon. Member refers, and Mr. Consul Hutchinson has reported the occurrence officially to the Government. There is reason for hoping that this catastrophe was the result of an accident, and not a murder; but by the mail of last night our Minister at Lima has been directed to make 1770 a strict inquiry into the circumstances of the case, and report the result of his investigations. Her Majesty's ship Chanticleer was, I believe, at that time stationed at Callao.