§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with reference to Despatch No. 126 (Turkey, No. 2), indexed as "Conference, possible failure of. Measures to be adopted by Her Majesty's Government," and with reference to Sir Henry Elliot's Despatch of January 24th, men- 111 tioned in No. 238 (Turkey, No. 2), Whether the reasons which caused the withholding from Parliament of portions of the former and of the whole of the latter Despatch still hold good, or whether they could now be communicated to Parliament without detriment to the public service?
§ MR. BOURNESir, the passages in the despatch alluded to by the hon. Baronet opposite are passages which are contained in a despatch to Lord Lyons containing a confidential conversation which took place between Lord Derby and the French Ambassador in England. Under these circumstances, it would not be convenient for the public service to produce them. The second paper referred to by the hon. Baronet is merely a formal despatch, of which the substance is recited in the answer. It would not be worth while to publish it separately; but if the hon. Baronet would like to see a copy of it I shall be happy to show it to him.