The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

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SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

LAIPERIAL PARLI

HOUSE OF LORDS—(THIS EVENING.)
Their lordships met at five o'clock. There was a
rather full attendance of peers, and a considerable num-
ber of ladies in the Peeresses' gallery.
Lord BROUGHAM was among the earlier arrivals, and
was cordially greeted by the Earl of Aberdeen and
other noble lords, on his return from France.
ASSESSED TAXES ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE moved the third reading
of the above bill.

The bill was then read a second time and passed.
THE WAR QUESTION.

The Marquis of CLANR.IOARDE then rose to move
" That an humble address be presented to her Majesty,
humbly praying that her Majesty will be graciously
Pleased to direct that further information respecting the
cessation of diplomatic relations with the Court of St.
Petersburg, and the war which appears imminent, be
laid before this house." He said he did not
make any charge against her Majesty s Government
for doing all they had in their power to prevent
a war, as long as that was possible ; but what he com-
plained of was that now, when we might be said
to be actually at war, that greater activity and
energy was not displayed by the Government.
(Hear.) With regard to the origin of the dispute
between Russia and Turkey, namely, the question of the
Holy Places, he quite agreed in what was said on that
subject by Lord J. Russell, that with that quarrel we
neither had nor could have anything to do. But when
the mission of Prince Menscbikoff became known the
whole question was in a different position. It was no-
torious that of all the armies of Europe the most orga-
nised army for—to use a French phrase—mobiliza-
tion or for commissariat was that of Russia. (Hoar.)
The noble marquis entered at much length into the
diplomatic negociations between the Four Powers, pre-
vious and subsequent to Prince Menschikoff's mission to
Constantinople, which he had carefully read in the
blue-book submitted to the house by her Majesty's
Ministers. (Hear, hear.) He maintained it had
been the constant aim of Russia to sow dissension
between England and France, more especially on all
questions relating to Turkey, and, therefore, the Rus-
sian Government was naturally rejoiced at the conduct
of our Ministers on this question. The great question
which Russia sought to have solved favourably for her-
self was, that she should have undisputed sovereignty
over a large portion of the Turkish Empire. He (Lord
Clanricarde) could not help bearing his warmest appro-
bation to the conduct of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, as
our Ambassador at Constantinople, for he had a most
difficult part to play, the Turks being clamorous for
war, and asking Lord Stratford for assistance, which he,
by his instructions, was unable to promise them. Of all
the admirable State papers he (Lord Clanricarde) ever read,
one of the most admirable was one from Lord Stratford,
which he would read to the house. Sir G. Seymour in-
formed Count Nesselrode that our sending our fleet into
the Black Sea was done in no hostile intention to Russia.
(Hear.) The very moment our fleet entered the Black
Sea that was hostility. He maintained that our fleet
convoying a.mrnuniton and provisions for the Turkish
forces, that wa,s taking a hostile part with one of the
belligerent Powers, and an act of hostile aggression on
the other. It had been stipulated that the evacuation of the
Principalities should be a sine qua non ; was that done—
were not, in fast, those Principalities now a part of the
Russian empire ? (Hear.) He maintained that when the
Russian fleet went into the Bay of Sinope, and sunk the
Turkish ships and killed so many Turkish subjects, it was
not only an act of hostility towards Turkey, but it was
also an insult to England and France. He did hope the
nob`e earl (Lord Aberdeen) would not refer him for an
explanation to the speech delivered from the throne at
the opening of the session. We were now preparing a
great fleet—he) hoped it would be a great fleet—we had
a considerable body of troops—he hoped it would be a
very considerable body—also ready to go into active
service in this quarrel ; but he said this was the first
time in the history of this country that ever such a state
of things occurred without the Minister making some
statement to Parliament.