§ MR. BAILLIE COCHRANErose to put a question, of which he had given notice, to the right hon. Baronet at the head of Her Majesty's Government, respecting the families of two deserving and unfortunate gentlemen who had lost their lives at Bokhara whilst in the service of their country. He meant Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly. It would be only an act of justice towards the families of those unfortunate gentlemen to make some provision for them, if only as a tribute of respect. He was not aware whether Colonel Stoddart had left any representative; but with regard to the representatives of Captain Conolly, he knew that any act of the right hon. Baronet would be most gratefully received, and he trusted that some provision would be made for them.
§ SIR ROBERT PEELIf he remembered rightly, Captain Conolly was in the service of the East India Company; Colonel Stoddart was employed by the Foreign Office; and for the characters of both he had a great respect, and felt deep regret at their unhappy fate. When, however, the hon. Member required him to mark that respect by a pecuniary provision for the relatives of the parties, he ought to bear in mind that the Crown had only very limited means of granting pensions. For- 980 merly, it had great power for this purpose: the Irish and English civil lists were at its disposal for the reward of military and civil services; but at this time, the whole sum the Crown could grant in the course of the year was 1,200l.; and from that amount it was expected, besides, to provide for the claims of literary and scientific men, and for those who performed personal services to the Sovereign. In truth, it was perfectly inadequate. He could not give a better proof of the estimation in which Colonel Stoddart was held than to state, that about two years since, out of the limited sum of 1,200l., Her Majesty granted pensions of 150l. to the sisters of that gallant officer: the grounds must be distinctly stated in the warrant, and there it was set out that the money was paid in consequence of the untimely death of Colonel Stoddart, and the services he had rendered. He again entreated the House to remember that the whole sum allowed to the Grown was 1,200l. a year. He was not aware that Captain Conolly had any immediate relatives; but he knew enough of the East India Company to be sure that they were not indisposed to attend to claims arising out of services rendered: that eminent and wealthy body would act in this case with its accustomed liberality. For Colonel Stoddart's relations the Crown had done as much as, under the circumstances, seemed reasonable.