On Thursday night Lord Dorchester succeeded to Lord Stratbeden's part
of hostile interrogator to Lord Derby, but came off no better, and asked, after preliminary complaints of Lord Derby's reticence in replying to questions, as to the whereabouts of the Turkish fleet. Lord Derby said he believed he had accurate information as to the position of the Turkish fleet, but as peace had not yet been signed, he thought it undesirable to give an answer to a question as to the movements of a foreign fleet which might, under some conceivable circumstances, be serviceable to the opponents of that fleet. As to his reticence, he said that no Gov- ernment at such a crisis had ever communicated information more freely. Lord Dorchester, like Lord Stratheden, did not accept the snub without a burst of fretfulness at the close. Last night Lord Derby said that the Treaty of Peace would be signed to-day, and that the demand for the cession of Turkish war-ships had been withdrawn.
