LORD WODEHOUSEsaid, he wished to offer a few words of explanation in re- 1270 ference to some points that had been raised in the discussion on the affairs of Italy on Friday evening. When he stated that there had no communications with Her Majesty's Government as to the blockade of Gaeta he had in his mind only communications with neutral Powers. He found that a communication had passed between the Minister of the King of Naples and the representative of the British Government in reference to the siege of Gaeta. That communication, together with the reply that had been made to it, he was ready to lay before the House. He also wished to observe that he was perfectly correct in the statement which he made with respect to General Pinelli. As soon as the proclamation issued by that General came to the knowledge of the Sardinian Government he was recalled. He had also been informed that the pension granted to the family of Milano for the attempted assassination of the King of Naples was no longer paid. One of the first acts of M. Farini when he became the representative of the King of Sardinia was to put an end to that pension.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, he was glad to hear the explanation which had been made by his noble Friend. It was because he had reason to believe that there been such a communication as the noble Baron had mentioned between the Neapolitan agent and Her Majesty's Government that he had pressed for the papers for which he had asked, and that he was surprised to find no mention of it in the blue book. As to General Pinelli, if his information was correct, that General issued a proclamation something like the celebrated one of Gesler, ordering that any one who neglected to salute the arms of Sardinia should be shot. He remained in command of the army for two months after that, and during that period many of the atrocities of which he complained were committed. It was true that he afterwards issued a second proclamation which very much resembled the production of a madman, and that he was immediately afterwards recalled; but he was recalled, not because he issued that proclamation, but because he communicated it to a reactionary paper, The Armonia, in Turin, with the observation, "I trust this will satisfy you." This gross breach of military discipline was the ground given for his recall. He was very glad to hear that the payment of the disgraceful pension to the family of Milano had been stopped.