The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-20 00:00:00

POST-OFFICE ESPIONAGE.

Mr. MONCKTON MILN ES said that he wished to ask the
Right Hon. Gentleman a question of which he had given notice
the other night, and in putting that question he wished to do it
with all deliberation. When last he had named this matter in
the House he had deemed it better to give notice to the
Right Honourable Gentleman of his intention to put this
question, and to ask what -,:instructions had been sent
out to the agent of this country abroad, with respect
to the matter on which he intended to speak, and this he did
because he believed it to be a matter of much interest in that
House. The question, then, which he wished to ask was whe-
ther. at the time that representations were made to the
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the insurrection which was
likely to ensue in the Italian States against the Government
of Austria, any instruction had been sent out by Lord Aber-
deen to the Governor or other authorities in the Island of
Corfu, that the British Government were in
possession of information respecting such insurrectionary
movement, and whether any information or other intimati•es
had been given to the persons at that time in the places under
the dominion of the British Government, who were likely to
engage in such insurrectionary movement, of their designs
being known, and of its having been communicated to the
Austrian and Italian Governments the movements that were
likely to take place, and the persons of the parties who were
likely to he enraged in them?
Sir ROBERT PEEL said, I am happy to give an
ample, and I think a sufficient answer to this question.
As the Hon. Member has given notice of the nature of his
question, proper attention has been paid to the subject. The
Hon. Member has said that a deep interest was felt in this
question, and I believe he is perfectly correct in that statement ;
and he should, therefore, feel it his duty to give a full reply to
that question. But lam sorry to say that 1 cannot do so, Sir,
without entering fully into the question.—(Hear, hear.) I
hope the House will excuse this, and 1 will give
the information we possess as bristly and suc-
cinctly as I can.—( Hear, hear. ) When the British Go-
vernment last year received information that an insurrec-
tionary movement was contemplated in the Italian States, they
felt it their duty to put the Austrian and Italian
Governments on their guard, and particularly as this
movement was organised by individuals residing at that
time in possessions under the protection of the British Go-
vernment. In reply to this, they had been informed that some
parties engaged in that movement were resident in this coun-
try. His Noble Friend had also been informed that the Aus-
trian Government Thad given instructions to the General at
that time in command of their forces at Milan, to the effect,
that if any attempt was made to trespass on the Austrian ter-
ritories by insurrectionists from the Papal states, in which
it was believed the insurrection was chiefly organised,
to resist and destroy the rebels to the utmost of his
power, without any further reference to his Government.
There were certain intimations conveyed to us which led us
to apprehend great danger te the public tranquillity in the
shape of an insurrectionary movement in Italy. My Noble
Friend did convey to the Austrian Government, from time to
time, the general purport of any information which he re-
ceived in respect to tho proceedings of those who had
designs against the tranquillity of Italy.—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") He communicated no letter which he had received
or extracts from any letter, neither did he state the name of
any individual within the power of the Austrian Government.
But as it is stated in the report of the Select Committee, he
did from time to time communicate to the represen-
tatives of the Austrian Government in this country, the
general purport of any information connected with the
designs of those who resided within the dominions
of her Majesty—particularly in the Mediterranean—caleulated
to disturb the public tranquillity. The parts with respect to
which apprehensions were chiefly entertained were in the Papal
States. My Noble Friend has not a very perfect recollection
of the circumstances, having destroyed such letters as ho re-
ceived, except those of a public nature. He has not now
a distinct recollection of the purport of them; bat, as far as
his recollection serves him, he never saw any communication
of a public or private nature which led him to apprehend that
a particular attack was to be made from Corfu. At any rate, be
never took any steps whatever on such communications ; he
never communicated either to the Austrian Government, the
Neapolitan Government, or to the authorities at Borne ; he
uccer made any communication to them respecting any par.
ticular designs meditated in Corfu. Consequently, the
impression which some gentlemen appeared to entertain, that
these individuals were led into a trap by an act of the British
Government, is entirely without foundation. So little reason
had he to apprehend that any particular attempt would
be made from Corfu, that no communication whatever
on the subject was made to Lord Seaton, the Gover-
nor of the lonian Islands. The fact is, that the at-
tempt tosk every party by surprise—it took Lord Seaton by
surprise, and it took the Consul completely by surprise. With-
out referring to the dispatches, he would state to the House
what were the facts. It appears that there were residing in
Mita, in the lonian Islands, several persons, refugees from their
own country, on account of political disturbances. They were
permitted to reside there without molestation. The two suns
of Admiral Bantliera resided at Corfu. They conducted them-
selves very quietly, without exciting Suspicion_ on the part
of the Government of the lonian Islands. It ap-
pears that on the night of the 12th of June
twenty-two individuals, and twenty-two individuals only, left
Corfu in two small boats, without arms, and no preparation
whatever was made for directing a foreign attack. It was not
until after that expedition—if it could be ealled an expedition,
which consisted of twenty-two unarmed individuals, who
sailed from Corfu —that the Austrian Consul for the
Paps! States, and the Russian Consul, made strong
representations to Lord Seaton on the subject. '1 hey
remonstrated strongly aeainst it. Lord Seaton said he
had been taken by surprise, or he would have made previous
communication. The Austrian Consul requested that the
British war-steamer there should be sent after the boats con-
taining the twenty-two individuals. Lord Seaton said he de-
clined sending an armed steamer in order to arrest them;
that he was not authorised to do so ; and that
he thou"ht the reports were exaggerated. Lord
Seaton said that ho felt confident no invasion could be
contemplated on the coast of Calabria, but he would send a small
boat as quietly as possible to Otranto, in order to ascertain the
nature of the project. That boat had not sailed to
Otranto till after the 12th, on the night of which the
twenty-two individuals had set sail. Intelligence of
this was given to the authorities there that it might be
conveyed to Naples; but no information upon this subject had