§ SIR HENRY TYLER (Great Yarmouth)asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies a Question of which he had given him private Notice, Whether he had noticed the announcement in the evening papers of yesterday and in The Times and other papers of that morning, to the effect that Sir John Macdonald, the Premier of Canada, had stated that "the Canadian Government would apply for the services of British Regulars;" whether he had received any communication or information on that subject; and, whether the Premier of Canada was justified in threatening the use of British Imperial troops?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir HENRY HOLLAND) (Hampstead)I have seen in the newspapers the report of the statement alleged to have been made by Sir John Macdonald as to applying for the services of British Imperial troops; but I have received no information on the subject. I think it highly probable, indeed, I believe, that the report must convey a very erroneous impression of what was really said; but I have telegraphed to the Governor General for information on this point, and on the 1776 situation generally. I am not prepared to state that under no circumstances whatever would Her Majesty's troops be permitted to support the local forces of the Dominion; but I need hardly say that each case must be judged on its own merits.