§ THE EARL OF MALMESBURYasked the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, What had been done in the case of the captain and crew of the English vessel that had been ill-used by the officers of the Tuscan Government. It was quite evident that these English subjects, although the Tuscan Government had passed into the hands of the Sardinians, had a right to compensation, and he believed it had been insisted on by Her Majesty's Government, and the Sardinian Government must feel it to be their duty to take on themselves all the liabilities that previously existed in connection with the Tuscan Government. When he asked the question some time since, it was intimated that the Government had urged the matter on the attention of the Sardinian Government; but he had received a letter that morning from the ill-used men, complaining that they had lost everything they had to depend upon, and that they were only kept from the workhouse in consequence of the charity of friends where they were, at Plymouth. They complained that they had had no compensation, and could not obtain any. He wished his noble Friend would inform the House what steps had been taken, and what chance there was of compensation being given by the Sardinian Government.
LORD WODEHOUSEsaid, the Government had communicated on the matter with the Sardinian Government, arguing that the case was one for compensation. The Sardinian Government had replied that they were not satisfied with the representations that had been made, and that the matter should be further inquired into. Since then the two Governments had agreed to refer the matter to two impartial persons, and from what he had heard he 423 had no doubt that they would come to a speedy decision.