HC Deb 13 February 1882 vol 266 cc497-8
SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether any communications have taken place with the Papal See for arranging the terms on which the Pope intends to create additional vicars apostolic or other prelates of the Roman Catholic Church in India, and for treating the question as to whether such prelates, though exercising their functions in Her Majesty's dominions, are to be subject to the jurisdiction of the Portuguese Bishop of Goa; whether such communications with the Papal See have taken place at the instance of the Viceroy of India; and, whether any correspondence has taken place with the Viceroy respecting the appointment of such additional prelates; and, whether such correspondence can be laid upon the Table?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

No communication whatever with the Pope has taken place upon the subject. With regard to the latter part of the first branch of the Question, that has been a subject of controversy of very long standing indeed. In 1880 the Government of Bombay made some proposals on the subject, one of which was to this effect— It would be well if Her Majesty's Government could in some way procure the consideration by the Holy See of the dissatisfaction which continues to prevail among those poor congregations who have, amid so many temptations, remained faithful to their religion. The Government of India, however, did not support that recommendation; and the views of the Secretary of State in Council on the subject were briefly stated in the following words:— The Government do not interfere in the internal arrangements of the Church of Rome, beyond discharging the necessary duty of preserving peace and preventing civil wrong. If the hon. Member desires to move for any Correspondence on the subject, there will be no objection.

Subsequently,

MR. NORTHCOTE

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If Her Majesty's Government intend to lay any Papers relative to Mr. Erring-ton's recent visit to Rome upon the Table of the House?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

As I have stated on two previous occasions in the course of last week, Mr. Errington had no diplomatic official communication to make, and, therefore, no official Correspondence to produce.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

asked whether Lord Granville did or did not address a letter to Mr. Errington, which Mr. Errington was to show to Cardinal Jacobini, so as to induce the Vatican to place confidence in any representations made by Mr. Errington to the Papal See?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Perhaps the hon. Member will give Notice of that Question.