§ Mr. Monckton Milnes,seeing the Foreign Secretary in his place, begged to put a question to him in reference to the detention of Colonel Stoddart, in Bokhara. The noble Lord, in reply to a question put lo him upon, the same subject on a former occasion, promised to use every means in his power to bring about the liberation of that gallant officer. He now wished to inquire whether that object had been attained?
§ Viscount Palmerstonwas sorry to state, that the exertions of her Majesty's Government to obtain the liberation of Colonel Stoddart had not as yet been successful. Still he had hopes that they would eventually succeed. Colonel Stoddart had been subjected to very severe and unjustifiable treatment during his confinement. He would not now go into the details, but he might state generally that he had reason to believe, that during the time he was confined, Colonel Stoddart might have obtained his release at the intercession of the agent of a foreign power, but Colonel Stoddart, not knowing that the intervention of that agent was sanctioned by his own government, very honourably and nobly declined to avail himself of it. Colonel Stoddart felt, that as he was employed by the British Government, it was only through the British Government that he could be released. Government would use all the means in their power for the purpose of obtaining his release.