nations to go up the Dardanelles : she was bound not to permit the vessels of Russia to come out of the Black Sea. He did not mean to say, that this provision might not be in some respects advantageous to Russia. In time of war it might tend to defend Russia from the attack of a hostile fleet. But the offensive supposition entertained in the first instance, that Russia was to call upon Turkey to close the Dardanelles at pleasure against any other vessels but Russian, had been entirely done away by the explanations subsequently given. The right hon. Baronet had asked, what his Majesty's Government had gained by acquiescing in the treaty? They had never acquiesced in it; they had stated their dissatisfaction with portions of it. It was in his (Mr. Stanley's) power, but as a Minister, he felt that he ought not at present to do so, to detail the satisfactory explanations which had been received on the subject. The plain state of the case was this:-For the purpose of protecting Constantinople against Mehemet Ali, which his Majesty's Govern

would not otherwise have enjoyed." Now, if the treaty which Russia concluded with Turkey had been of the character supposed by the right hon. Baronet, his Majesty's Government would have had every right to complain. When they were acting in a spirit of perfect confidence towards an ally, that ally would have had no right to conclude a secret treaty-a treaty without their knowledge or concurrence-for the purpose of forwarding his own particular purposes. If such an act had been committed, it would have been a great breach of faith, not at all discreditable to England, but highly discreditable to Russia. But, although the treaty did not bear the character which the right hon. Baronet imputed to it, the British Government thought it right strongly to express their sense of the unsatisfactory nature of some of its provisions, and to require explanations concerning them. With respect to the Dardanelles, the explanations both from Russia and Turkey had gone far to remove the most powerful objection which was supposed to exist against the treaty, namely, that in time of war the Dardan-ment, notwithstanding the right hon. Baelles were to be shut against some nations, but open to others. Now they had the strongest assurances, both from Turkey and from Russia, that in the passage of the Dardanelles no advantage was to be enjoyed by Russian armed vessels over the armed vessels of any other nation; and that, in time of war, the passage was to be absolutely closed against ships of war of all nations. The right hon. Baronet had spoken of the treaty as if it were one of-vernment to be very objectionable, remonfensive and defensive between Russia and Turkey, and as if Turkey had bound herself to close the Dardanelles whenever she should be required to do so by Russia. But what were in fact the terms of the treaty? That Russia and Turkey being in perfect amity, in time of peace the Dar-treated his Majesty's Government on this danelles were to remain free; but that, in time of war no armed vessel belonging either to Russia, or to any other power, should be allowed to pass. But what was gained by Russia in consequence of this arrangement?-In time of war Turkey was bound by the treaty to close the Dardanelles against the fleets of any and every nation. Before she concluded that treaty, Turkey possessed the power of closing the Dardanelles to both, or to either of two belligerents. By the treaty she was bound to close it to both belligerents. She was bound not to permit the vessels of other

ronet's supposition, were anxious to do, the Russian force being in readiness, entered Constantinople. Having afforded assistance to the Sultan, and England and France having combined in requiring Mehemet Ali to proceed no further, Russia withdrew from Constantinople. In the meanwhile, however, she had concluded a treaty with Russia; and a portion of that treaty appearing to his Majesty's Go

strances were made by this country and France, and explanations had been received which, though in a great measure satisfactory, were not wholly at an end. His noble friend, acknowledging the courtesy with which the House had hitherto

subject, expressed his confident persuasion that the House would not take any step which might compromise the honour and dignity of the Government, and, therefore, would not call upon his Majesty's Ministers for the premature disclosure of a negotiation which had not yet been completed.

Mr. Cutlar Fergusson said, with respect to the treaty of the 8th of July, the House must come to the conclusion that it was not satisfactory, else why refuse to produce it? At the time when the noble Lord was addressing the House on this

subject on a former occasion, a treaty had been secretly and surreptitiously entered into between Russia and Turkey, which it was found bore very hard upon the interests of this country, and strongly in favour of Russia, the worst Power in Europe. It appeared to him that, if the treaty was in itself of a suspicious nature, no explanation of these two Powers ought to induce this country to sanction it. He thought that the papers called for ought to be laid on the Table, but if the noble Lord thought otherwise, he for one would not press for their production at present. If the Russian ships of war were to pass the Dardanelles to the exclusion of men of war of other nations, he should like to know what construction was to be put upon that?

Mr. Secretary Stanley rose to explain. It had been stated in the treaty, that no foreign ships of war were to be allowed to pass the Dardanelles, and upon inquiring whether Russian men of war were included in the words "foreign ships of war," the answer was decidedly the affirmative.

to Ibraham Pacha, we might, he believed, by our fleets have prevented his invasion of Turkey; but as he had no positive information upon this part of the case, he would not attempt to implicate Government upon slight grounds. There was one great difficulty under which a British House of Commons always laboured when they required information to be laid before them. If the negotiation were still pending, they were told that the demand for information was premature, and would, if complied with, be subversive of all the objects which Ministers had in view. But if the negotiation were at an end, then they were told that all was over, and that it would be irritating and productive of unpleasant feeling to rip old matters up again. He wished to say one word or two, to which he begged the attention of the noble Lord, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was a question of great importance, and one in which the feelings of all classes in this country were interested. He alluded to the case of Poland. He did not ask his Majesty's Ministers to alter the policy they had pursued with respect to that persecuted and unhappy country beyond this. There were at present in these kingdoms numbers of those unfortunate patriots, who had been driven from their native soil by a Prince under whom they lived, under a treaty to which this country gave a guarantee. They were driven by persecution to insurrection and revolt, the treaty was violated and tram

Mr. Cutlar Fergusson proceeded Where, he would ask, was Russia most vulnerable? Certainly in the Black Sea, the great resort of her ships of war. But, in the event of a war, in stepped Turkey, and said, "We'll throw the shield of our mantle around you, and protect you where you are most vulnerable." If it should be the case that the Dardanelles were now rendered impregnable by the aid of Russian engineers, would this not be of itself a vio-pled upon, as were the unfortunate Poles lation of the treaty? Would it not amount to an act of cowardice on the part of Russia? But if this were so, if fortifications had been carried on on the land side, as well as on the Straits, it was impossible that any ship could pass without the permission of Russia. It was the duty of this country to guard itself against the domineering power of Russia, who was in fact aiming a vital blow at the existence of every Power in Europe. Nay, not content with this, she contemplated the overthrow of our possessions in the East. By her inroads into Persia (inroads unopposed by us) she had obtained the keys of that empire, as she had recently obtained those of Turkey. The fact was, that the growing power and desire of dominion manifested ought long since to have been put a stop to; and it would have been put a stop to long ago, had England and France acted with the necessary firmness. With respect

who trusted to it. But this was not all; every attempt to extend relief to the sufferers in Poland was severely punished. It was but lately that an Ukase had been published in Russia, by which the father was prohibited from relieving the son, or the wife from assisting her husband or her child; so that this great and glorious band of freemen-men who had displayed courage in the field and wisdom in the council, were made slaves at home, or driven exiles and wanderers abroad. It was for the national honour that his Majesty's Government should take the case of these brave men into their consideration. He did not press for an answer at present to this appeal. He would only add that, as strangers and as brave men in distress, they were entitled to the hospitality of the nation, and deserved whatever assistance we could afford to bestow upon them.

Sir Edward Codrington said, that with

It

respect to the battle of Navarino, it was a | penses of such an undertaking; but the mistake to suppose that that was the cause necessary outlay of the expedition was of the distress to which Turkey had been supplied by the princely munificence of a reduced. The Emperor of Russia was merchant and citizen of London. Capmost anxious that the treaty agreed to tain Ross sailed in 1829, and was absent by the other Powers should be entered four years and a-half. He and his crew into with Turkey, and had sent an express sustained hardships unexampled in the to his fleet on the subject instead of taking annals of the British marine. He ascerthe circuitous route of London. The Rus- tained that no passage was to be found sian officers had their master's orders to as far as latitude 74. This was a most co-operate with him (Sir Edward Codring-important point to be determined. ton) on this subject, as he was in possession of all the necessary information. But, unfortunately, the change of Government at home prevented the treaty from being entered into; but if it had, then the other Powers would have compelled Russia to abide by it, and there would have been no war between Russia and Turkey. The armies of Russia, and not the fleets of that empire, had done injury by invading Constantinople. With respect to France, he could not agree with the right hon. Baronet, that France had shown a want of sincerity in her proceedings. It was a mistaken no-ther such was the case or not. Captain tion that France approved of the conduct of the French officers in the service of Mehemet Ali,

The Amendment was negatived without a division.

The House resolved into a Committee of Supply.

SUPPLY-CAPTAIN Ross.] Mr. Cutlar Fergusson rose to bring forward his motion for a grant of 5,000l. to Captain Ross, in consideration of the services rendered by him to science, and the sufferings he endured in his expedition to discover the north-west passage. He fully agreed with the hon. member for Oldham, that the public money ought not to be given away for mere asking. This he could assure the hon. Member should not be done in the case of Captain Ross, if the House should agree to this vote. No thing had contributed more to raise the character of this country for naval enterprise and skill than the efforts that had been made for the discovery of the northwest passage. The voyages of Franklin and Parry had placed the discovery more within reach than it ever had been before. Captain Ross certainly had not succeeded in the object of his expedition; but the result of his voyage was so far useful as to show clearly the direction in which a passage was not to be found. Captain Ross himself was unable to meet the ex

must be recollected, that Captain Franklin and Captain Parry had given it as their opinion that a passage was practicable in a certain direction. This Captain Ross made trial of, and ascertained that a passage was not practicable through the inlet mentioned by these navigators. This discovery alone entitled Captain Ross to recompense from the public, because Franklin and Parry having stated that a passage might be found in this direction, it would be the duty of Government to send out an expedition to determine whe

Ross saved the public the expense of this expedition. Only one man of the crew had died from the commencement to the close of his arduous undertaking, though in a climate where the thermometer was occasionally ninety-two degrees below zero. This fact alone sufficiently proved the care and attention of Captain Ross to the health and comfort of his men. The hon. Member read a letter from Sir John Franklin to the nephew of Captain Ross, not knowing the address of the Captain himself, expressing his congratulations on the safe return of the Captain, and his perseverance and ability in the prosecution of the object with which he set out. He ought to mention, that this was not the only service rendered by Captain Ross to the public, for, in 1818, he discovered in Baffin's Bay a most valuable fishery, by which this country had since then been considerably enriched, as could be attested by several hon. Members of that House. The hon. Member concluded by moving the following Resolution :-"That it is the opinion of this Committee, that a sum not exceeding 5,000l. be granted to his Majesty, in order to enable him to reward Captain Ross, of the royal navy, for the arduous and meritorious services performed by him in his 'voyage to the Arctic Sea, in the promotion of science and maritime discovery."

Mr. Hutt had formerly presented a Pe

Sir James Graham said, that as an in-services the gallant Captain had rendered dividual Member of the House he would support the vote, and he would do so on the ground that every individual composing the expedition, with the single exception of Captain Ross, had already been rewarded for their services by the Admiralty. To the seamen the Admiralty had VOL. XXII. {Third}