The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-11 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

THE HANGO MASSACRE.

The Earl of MALMESBURY, seeing the noble lord
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his place,
begged to ask what progress had been made with re-
spect to the inquiry relative to the massacre at Hango ?
(Hear, hear.) When he had last brought the
subject forward, the noble earl stated that a
messenger had been sent to the Danish Minister at St.
Petersburg, requiring him to demand from the Russian
Goverament that it should institute an inquiry into what
seemed to be a wanton and cruel massacre. In the mean-
, time Admiral Dundas, anticipating the wishes of her
Majesty's Government, sent in a flag of truce to the
Commander-in-Chief at Helsingfors, demanding an ex-
planation on the subject. A correspondence, therefore,
took place between the Admiral and the Russian general
at the place in question to which he would refer, as`re-
yealin,g the reasons for the conduct of the Russians. He
was glad to find that the second flag of truce of the Ad-
miral had arrived safe at its destination, and that
the Russian authorities did not again disgrace them-
selves by as great a violation of one of the most sacred
international laws as had ever been perpetrated. Now,
he had looked into the letter of the Russian General,
and he was unable to find any justification for this out-
rage. On the contrary, he thought the reason assigned
for the attack but aggravated that cruel massacre. He
admitted that our boat, conveying the Finnish prisoners,
should not have landed its party until the flag
of truce had been replied to. The noble earl then
referred to correspondence which hal taken place
between Admiral Dundas and General de Berg in rela-
tion to the circumstance referred to, and commented
upon them as he proceeded. It was quite evident what
the feelings of the Russian Government were upon
the subject, as they had decorated the leaders who had
committed this monstrous outrage.
The Earl of CLARENDON said he was sorry to
say that he was not yet in a position to
supply the information to which the noble lord had re-
ferred. In the communications which had taken place
between Admiral Dundas and General de Berg, her Ma-
jesty's Government did not think that the Russian gene-
ral furnished any explanation that would be deemed
satisfactory by her Majesty's Government. The only
passage in the letter of General de Berg which was
deemed satisfactory was that which stated that instead
of seventeen men having been murdered, as was at
first supposed, thew were only seven. Even if
the flag of truce had not been seen by the
Russian party, the fact could not furnish a justification
for this frightful slaughter upon a small unarmed party.
With respect to Gen. de Berg, that they could not have
come upon a peaceful mission by reason of the fire-
arms which they' had on board, the fact really was
that the muskets alluded to were placed at the bottom of
the boat. They were unloaded, and were covered with
tarpaulin, so that it was quite evident that there was no
intention of using them on the occasion ; and
further, that the Russ:an party was altogether
ignorant of the circumstance of the muskets being on
board until after the murders had been perpetrated. With
regard to the assertion of Gevral de Berg, that it was
supposed the British party were making soundings be-
fore Hango, as it was reported they had done
at Kertch, this excuse could not avail the Russian
party an instant, as it was quite clear that the
report of such soundings at Kertch could not possibly
have reached that place at the time the outrage was
perpetrated. It was, however, impossible for her Ma-
jesty's Government to know the real facts of the case,
until Lieutenant Geneste and his comrades were released
from Russian power. It was clear, from the date of the
communication sent to the Danish Minister at St.
Petersburg that there could not be any answer received
here for some days yet.
Lord CAMPBELL declared that this outrage was,
even according to their own showing, as great a viola-
tion of international law as had ever been committed.
He viewed the decoration by the Government of the
leaders of this vile outrage in the same light as the deco-
ration conferred upon Cain, the first murderer.

The Earl of MALMESBURY begged to ask a ques-
tion of the noble earl, namely, whether any negotiations
were going on in order to have an exchange of prisoners ?
The Earl of CLARENDON said be had great
pleasure in being able to answer the last
question of the noble earl. Negotiations were
now going on, the result of which would be an imme-
diate exchanga of prisoners:

After a few words from the Earl of COLCHESTER, the
subject dropped.
VICTORIA GOVERNMENT BILL.

This bill was read a second time after a few words from
Lord Monteagle, who directed attention to the manner
in which the Land Fund was administered.
The Waste Lands (Australia) Acts Repeal Bill, and
the New South Wales Bill, were also read a second time.
The Places of Religious Worship Registration Bill
having been read a second time, and several other mea-
sures advanced a stage,
The Marquis of CLANIIICARDE moved for a return
of all persons employed in her Majesty's diplomatic ser-
vice, with the dates of their first appointment, and their
subsequent promotion. The noble marquis said he did
not object to administrative reform, on the contrary he
had no doubt that in some departments there was great
room for it from time to time ; but on the whole he
thought the diplomatic service of the country had been
performed in an honourable and creditable manner.

- The Earl of CLARENDON quite concurred in the
testimony which had been given by the noble marquis
of the character and value of the services rendered to
the country by its diplomatic agents. It was impossible
that, in a large number of persons like the diplomatic
body, there should not be some men who possessed
greater diligence and talents than others, and who had
shown theniselves more fit for the posts they occupy ;
but, generally speaking, the interests of Great Britain
were represented abroad fully as well, if not better, by
its agents than those of any other country ; and that its
interests are promoted not only with zeal and ability,
but with that honourable and truthful purpose, which,
he trusted, would always be the leading feature of Eng-
lish policy. Although the noble marquis had not men-
tioned the consular service, the noble earl said he should
not be doing justice to a valuable body of public
servants if he did not bear his testimony to the
zeal, tact, and ability with which they discharged
their extensive and arduous duties. The noble earl
proceeded at some length to defend the diplomatic
service against the charges which had been brought
against it, and especially that of the higher ranks of it
being engrossed by the aristocracy. He asserted that it
had been, and always should be, his object to find the
right man for the right place, independent of favour and
private or Parliamentary influence.
Earl GRANVILLE and the Earl of MALMESBURY also
spoke of the diplomatic service in similar terms.