Vis- count Strangfordsaid, that their Lordships were aware of the interest which prevailed in the public mind on the subject of the President steam-ship, and he wished to know, whether the Government had sent out any vessel in quest of her, for the purpose of ascertaining her fate, and, if possible, of affording her succour. He understood the Portuguese government had been humane enough to do something of the kind.
The Earl of Mintosaid, that the Admiralty had watched the reports concerning the President with the greatest interest, and endeavoured to obtain all the information in their power, and had collected the best evidence from all descriptions of persons as to any means by which we could discover the fate of the vessel, or afford her succour. The Admiralty, however, had been compelled to come to the conclusion, that there were no means of search having the slightest probability of obtaining information or affording relief. A fresh report has been circulated to-day through the newspapers, which was calculated, he feared, to excite false hopes. The report states, that a large steamer in distress had been seen in St. George's Channel. There was no doubt, information to that effect had reached town, and he had, in consequence, sent instructions to the admiral at Plymouth to despatch a steamer, in order to ascertain whether there was any foundation for the report. He, however, had no reason to believe, that the report would prove well-founded, and he feared it was only one of those most odious and incomprehensible attempts to take advantage in the money market of the temporary hopes excited by favourable rumours.