§ MR. WHALLEYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the fact that the 86th Regiment, having been detained on its way to the Mauritius at Algoa Bay, owing to the prevalence of fever in that island, was ordered on with instructions not to land unless the fever had abated; that on its arrival there in Her Majesty's ship Tamar on the 27th of December last the authorities of the island met and decided that the fever being then on the increase the regiment ought not to be landed; that the regiment was landed on the 28th of December, and that fever is now spreading amongst the troops; what are the circumstances that justify the landing of the said Regiment at the Mauritius, or that demand the presence of European troops in that island during the prevalence of fever there; and, whether it is the fact that by reason of this fever, of two companies of Engineers lately stationed there, but sixty men remained, and 992 of the entire force of Artillery but 100, and that the 13th Regiment also suffered most severely from the same cause?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONI must beg the hon. Gentleman to do me the favour to repeat the Question to-morrow. Information of this kind does not come in the first instance to the War Office. I should be sorry to give an imperfect answer to a Question upon circumstances which I fear are of a very serious and painful nature.
§ MR. WHALLEYsaid, he would repeat his Question to-morrow.