The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-28 00:00:00

SICILY.

Lord BEAUMONT asked when the papers relating
to Sicily would be produced. The horrors of Messina
had been surpassed by the horrors of Catania. The
place had been given up to plunder and sacked, and the
route of the troops had been marked by burning houses.
He had understood that the property of English and French
subjects, although situated in the centre of the town, had
been respected, which proved that these horrors must
have been perpetrated, if not by the orders, at least with
the connivance of the Neapolitan commanders. He
wished to know if the Government had received any in-
formation on the subject.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, who rose to answer
the question, was so inaudible that not even the purport
of his observations could be caught in the gallery.
Lord STANLEY complained that the answer that the
papers should be produced in a day or two was the,
same that bad been given to him ten days ago. He must
say, with regard to the statement of the commission of
atrocities, he never saw move vague reports than those
sent by the British Consul's in Sicily.
The Eail of ABERDEEN had expected to find the
papers on the table immediately after the recess.
Lord EDDISBURY said the utmost diligence had
been used in preparing the pacers, and that they were
laid on the table as'soon as po,sible.
The'Earl of ABERDEEN wished to have the papers
relating to Piedmont Produced forthwith. The war in
the north of Italy'was at an end, and the papers should
be produced forthwith.
After a'few' word; from Lord EDDISBURY,

, Lord BROUGHAM protested against the charge
which had been made. against General Filangieri, of
conniving-,at the commission of atrocities; no general
could command thcr effervescent spirits of a victorious
and 'exasperated army, and prevent the commission of
atrocities.

The Earl of IIIgTO denied that the statements of
the atrocities committed at Messina had been ex-
aggerated, as had been stated by the Noble Lnrd
(Stanley). The British Consul, Mr. Barker, had taken
great pains to verify his statements, and they were not
to be put down as unfounded on the strength of -those
statements on which the Noble Lord had relied. lie
bad seen.the statements of British officers describing the
advance of the Neapolitans on Catania as marked by the
burning of the houses, and the murder of women and
children. The city of Catania, one of the finest in
Europe, had been wantonly destroyed, but the property
of the British and Maltese in the city had been re-
spected, although situated in the midst of the town.
The General therefore possessed sufficient command
over his troops to cause property to be respected, yet
he gave up the city to pillage for two days.

Lord ifFaUldoNt had not tbouglit there could
have been found a Noble Lord to speak of'
those scenes of horror so lightly as the Noble
Lord had done. He trusted that tho reports alluded to
by the Noble Lord (Minto) would also be produced, and
he moved for the copy of memorandums presented to
the Neapolitan Government in 1814, the letter of
Lord Castlereagh of 1816, and the correspondence of
Mr. A'Court in 1815 and 1816. His object
was to ascertain whether or not we had abandoned our
engagements to Sicily, and if it should appear we had
done so, nothing would prevent him from bringing for-
ward a motion, to g►ve the House an opportunity of ex-
pressing an opinion on the subject.
The Marquis of LANSDO WNE said that papers had
been already presented to the House, but there could be
no objection to collecting and reprinting them.
The Earl of MINTO said these papers were necessary
to enable their Lordships to understand the nature of
eur obligations towards Sicily.
The motion was agreed to.
GOLD COAST.

On the motion of the Bishop of OXFORD certain
returns, relating to missions on the Gold Coast, were
ordered.

PETITIONS.

Earl FORTESCUE presented several petitions,
praying that no more licences might be granted to beer-
houses.
The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from
Greenock against the repeal of the Merchant Seaman's
Act.