Lords Sitting of 21 February 1840

MINUTES.
Bill. Read a first time:—Church Building Act Amendment.
Petitions presented. By the Bishop of Ely, from Bury St. Edmund's, against certain recommendations of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.—By the Marquess of Bute, and the Earl of Aberdeen, from a number of places, against the Intrusion of Ministers into Parishes without the consent of the Parishioners.

CHINA.
Lord Ellenboroughbegged leave to put two questions to the noble Viscount, which, if he was not then prepared to answer, he would perhaps answer on Monday next. The first was, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to accompany the papers relative to China with any message from the Crown, which would open the whole course of policy recently pursued towards that country? The second question was, whether her Majesty's Government had formed any arrangement with the East India Company, fixing the proportion of charge of any intended expedition by this country and the East India Company against China?
Viscount Melbourneanswered, that as to the first point, no message would be gent down; and as to the second, he
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would avail himself of the suggestion of the noble Lord, and take time to consider of it.

THANKS TO THE INDIAN ARMY.
Viscount Melbourne, in-conformity with the suggestion which had been thrown out on a former night, moved,
"That the order of the 4th of February, namely, 'that the thanks of this House be given to Major-General Sir Willoughby Cotton, Knight Grand Cross of the most hon. Military Order of the Bath, and to the several officers of the army, both European and Native, for their good conduct and gallant exertions during the late operations to the westward of the Indus,' be read and discharged."
Which having been agreed to,
Viscount Melbourne Viscount Melbourne moved,
"That the thanks of this House be given to Major-General Sir W. Cotton, Knight Grand Cross of the most hon. Military Order of the Bath; Major-General Sir T. Willshere, Knight Commander of the most hon. Military Order of the Bath; Major-General Sir J. Thackwell, Knight Commander of the most hon. Military Order of the Bath; Major-General E. H. Simpson; Major-General W. Nott; and to the several officers of the army, both European and Native, for their good conduct and gallant exertions during the late operations to the westward of the Indus."
The Earl of Aberdeensaid, he did not rise to offer any opposition to the motion, but he wished to put a question connected with the subject of the war in India to the noble Viscount. He believed that one of the motives of the expedition to the westward of the Indus was to prevent the threatened attack on Herat by the Persians. Now, he wished to know, whether, since that, any intelligence had been received that the chief of Herat had come to an understanding with the Persian Government, and had rejected the protection and assistance proffered to him by the British Government?
Viscount Melbourneanswered, that no intelligence had been received to the extent indicated by the noble Earl; but intelligence had arrived which was calculated to excite suspicion with respect to the government of Herat.
Motion agreed to.
Resolution to be transmitted by the Lord Chancellor to the Governor-General of India, and to the several officers referred to therein.