HC Deb 17 February 1871 vol 204 cc379-80
MR. GOLDSMID

said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the statement that the Prussians have, on non-payment of fines imposed by them on various districts since the armistice was concluded, pillaged those districts, is correct; and whether there is any precedent for such a proceeding?

VISCOUNT ENFIELD

said, in reply, that no communication or representation had been made to the Foreign Office with reference to any fines imposed by the Prussians on the French, and he was, therefore, unable to say whether or not the statement to which the hon. Member referred was correct or not. He further asked if there was any precedent for such a proceeding; but he hoped the hon. Gentleman would not think him guilty of an act of discourtesy in saying that not having received any particular information of the statement to which the Question referred he had not thought it right to hunt up any historical precedent on the point.