§ Mr. CALLANasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the report of the proceedings before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives at Washington, and the evidence given in relation to the "Directory of the Emma Mine, so called," and, whether, in view of the grave disclosures made therein as to the alleged fraudulent suppression and misrepresentation of material facts in the prospectus of the Emma Mine by parties resident in Great Britain, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown as to the advisability of instituting criminal proceedings against the parties implicated therein?
§ Mr. DISRAELISir, I have read in the newspapers—in a casual and cursory manner—an account of the proceedings 1353 at Washington upon those matters to which the hon. Gentleman's Question refers; but the statement did not appear before me in that authentic and authoritative manner which would justify me in considering whether I should take the grave step to which the hon. Gentleman refers.
§ Mr. CALLANgave Notice that on the earliest day he could obtain he would move for the appointment of a Select Committee to make certain inquiries relating to the Emma Mine, the Lisbon Steam Tramways Company, and other companies of a like character, which had either been compulsorily or voluntarily wound up.