§ LORD STRATHEDEN,who had given notice of his intention to inquire of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What Credit ought to be attached to the Allegation of Prince Gortschakoff, reported by Lord Napier in a Despatch from St. Petersburg, page 504, No. 4 of the Danish Papers, to the effect that the four Governments of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain are "now thinking and acting in harmony on a Question still more important than that of Holstein or Schleswig," said, he should have postponed his Question, but that he had been requested to put it by his noble Friend the President of the Council. It would be interesting to know what subject Prince Gortschakoff was thinking of when he wrote; it could hardly have been attendance at the proposed Congress, since the definite refusal of England to be present was known at that time.
§ EARL GRANVILLEIn the absence of my noble Friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs—which is caused by a slight indisposition—I will state in reply to the question of the noble Lord, that we suppose that the allusion made by Prince Gortschakoff to an agreement between the four Powers necessarily referred to the agreement supposed to exist against the plan of a General European Congress. I can state in the fullest and most explicit terms that, as regards England, we have entered into no combination or treaty of any sort or kind with the other great Powers of Europe, of a nature which can be construed into the slightest hostile feeling towards France. I am anxious to state that in the most positive terms, so that it may be understood that no common agreement exists between the Powers mentioned, with regard to the great questions now pending in Europe.