§ VISCOUNT STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFEsaid, he agreed with all the noble Lords who had spoken, that whatever might be the differences of opinion as to the policy of Count Cavour, or the means he had adopted to accomplish his objects, his death must be regarded as a great calamity. On one occasion he (Lord Stratford de Redcliffe) had himself called attention, to 626 what appeared to him to furnish matter of criticism in that policy; but at the present moment he should be sorry to allow any feeling to enter his mind inconsistent with the desire to do honour and also to do justice to the memory of so great a man. But his object in rising was chiefly to put: a question to the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs upon a subject of great importance. The matter to which he wished to call attention had its origin about eighteen years ago, when negotiations were on foot with a view to prevent hostilities between Turkey and Persia arising out of the unsettled state of the boundary line between the two countries. England had great interests at stake, and, therefore, proffered her mediation together with that of Russia, which was, after some hesitation accepted. A Commission was sent out, and after a considerable time the matter came to a partial conclusion by the engineer officer, Captain Glascott, who was charged with carrying out the boundary line, being sent to St. Petersburg about three years ago. The reason of that officer being sent to St. Petersburg was that the Russian Government possessed considerable materials that could be useful in carrying out the object in view. He wished to know what was the present state of affairs, and whether there was any hope that in a short time the map which was in course of preparation would be completed?
LORD WODEHOUSEsaid, the subject had been mooted at the time he had the honour of representing Her Majesty at St. Petersburg. It was true that it had been found convenient to send an officer to that capital because of the nature of the materials in the possession of the Russian Government. A map was in course of preparation, of which he had seen a portion. That map was on an extensive scale, and there was reason to hope that the whole would be completed in the course of the present year. The officer who had been sent to St. Petersburg was even sanguine that it would be completed by August next. When the map was completed the negotiations properly so called would be removed to Constantinople, and with the map in their hands, the representatives of Russia and England, the mediating Powers, would have to consider, with the representatives of Turkey and Persia, the drawing of the boundary line between those two countries which had heretofore been the subject of disputes and difficulties.