HL Deb 29 March 1878 vol 239 cc185-6
EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, I wish to ask the noble Earl the First Lord of the Treasury a Question with regard to the very grave announcement made in this House last night. It is, When the Message from the Crown calling out the Reserves will be sent down to this House, and at what time the noble Earl proposes to ask your Lordships to consider it?

THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD

My Lords, the Message from the Crown will be sent down on, I believe, Monday. I shall study the convenience of the noble Earl and of your Lordships generally as to the time at which it should be taken into consideration; but I think Thursday will be a reasonable period.

EARL GRANVILLE

Will the Message be communicated to this House previously to the communication to the other House, or will it be communicated to both Houses the same evening?

THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD

To both Houses on the same day.

EARL GRANVILLE

There is a further Question on which I am still more desirous to have information. I am quite sure Her Majesty would not desire that a matter of such grave importance should be considered without the fullest information having been afforded to the House. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is reported to have promised in "another place" that certain Papers would be distributed to the House of Commons, and, consequently, to this House, to-day. I have received no such Papers, and therefore I should be glad to know when those Papers will be in the hands of Members of this House? I also wish to know whether the Correspondence will include, besides the Correspondence between this country and Russia, the Correspondence with the other Powers? It is rumoured that Germany proposed a preliminary Conference. I do not know whether that is true or not, but the report makes it desirable that the Correspondence with the German Government should be included in the Papers.

THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD

The Papers have been laid before the House, and I trust they will be in the hands of your Lordships immediately. They will not be limited to the Correspondence between this country and Russia, but will contain Papers relating to the proposition of the Congress by Austria. With regard to the time at which the Message will be taken into consideration, I have heard since I entered the House that a wish has been expressed in the other House that the consideration of the Message in the House of Commons should be earlier than Monday week. Thursday has been mentioned for it in the House of Commons; and if the noble Earl thinks that Monday week will be a convenient time for it here, I am willing to fix that day.

EARL GRANVILLE

I think that will depend entirely on the Papers, which I understand from the noble Earl will not be confined to the Papers between this country and Russia; but will include, also, those between this country and Austria. I think we have a right to know the view of all the Great Powers with regard to whether there should be a Conference or not.

THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD

I shall not fix the day for the discussion till Monday.