The Sun. — 1849-04-28 (London, England)

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 information 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 exaggerated, 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 respected, 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 forward a motion, to g►ve the House an opportunity of expressing 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.