MR. OTWAYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that the 36th Regiment was sent from England in March, last to Kurrachee in Scinde, where it arrived at the commencement of the hot season; whether the Regiment was then sent into barracks which had "been declared unfit for European troops;" and, whether, on one day in June last, nine men, women, and children of the Regiment died in those barracks from what was called heat apoplexy?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he was sorry he was not able to give as full au answer to the hon. Gentleman's Question as he could wish. In one respect, however, the hon. Gentleman seemed to be acting under erroneous information. The hon. Member stated that the 36th Regiment was sent to Kurrachee, in. Scinde. The fact, however, was that the 36th Regiment went to India in 1863, and it was only a detachment that was sent in March to join the Regiment. Probably it was to that detachment the Question of the hon. Gentleman applied. "With regard to the barracks, he must remind the hon. Gentleman that the War Office in England has nothing whatever to do with the bar- 1556 racks in India. It was, no doubt, a most painful statement to be obliged to make that nine persons, including men, women, and children died upon one day, from apoplexy caused by heat. The Question of the hon. Gentleman not having appeared upon the Paper until that morning, he (Sir John Pakington) sent for information to the Horse Guards, and also to the Medical Department of the War Office, but at neither place had news been received of anything of the kind. Until, therefore, further information had reached him, he could only say that no such facts were known in. official quarters.