MR. O'CLEBYasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government have received any intimation from the Imperial German Authorities relative to the statement of the "Nord-Deutsche Zeitung," "that the German Squadron now stationed off the Isle of Wight will be ordered to cruise on the northern coast of Spain;" and, should such be the fact, to ask, are the Government prepared to make any statement to the House on the subject?
§ MR. BOURKESir, Her Majesty's Government have received no intelligence that a positive decision has been arrived at by the German Government to send a Naval Squadron to cruise off the coast of Spain; but we have reason to believe that the German Government are considering the expediency of ordering 854 a Squadron into those waters. The only statement Her Majesty's Government have to make upon the subject is that they presume the only object the German Government have in taking this step is to protect the lives and property of German subjects in Spain, which may be endangered in consequence of the Civil War which is now raging in that country.