§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (The Earl of HALSBURY)read the following letter from the Prime Minister—
§ "Foreign Office, June 16, 1898.
§ "My Lord Chancellor.—I have the honour to transmit with a translation the accompanying message of condolence from the Chamber of Peers of Portugal on the occasion of the death of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.
§ "The Portuguese Minister at this Court, through whom the message was conveyed, has been requested to inform the Portuguese Chamber of Peers that it has been forwarded to its destination.
§ "I have the honour to be, etc.,
§ "SALISBURY.
§ "To the Lord High Chancellor."
§ The message was to the effect that in the Portuguese House of Peers it was proposed by Antonio C. R. da Costa, seconded by Ernesto H. Ribeiro, and supported by Veiga Beiras (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and by Luiz do Soveral (Portuguese Minister in London), that there be recorded in the Journals of the House a vote of profound regret for the death of Mr. Gladstone, and that in homage to his memory the day's Session should be closed. This was agreed to.
710§ The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Veiga Beiras) associated himself in the name of the Governments in the vote of regret, and begged that it might be communicated to the English Governmental Parliaments and to Mr. Gladstone's widow.