HC Deb 24 August 1860 vol 160 c1781
MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE

in answer to a Question put yesterday by the hon. and learned Member for Marylebone (Mr. E. James), "Whether Mr. Tarrant, the Editor of The Friend of China, is still detained in prison in Hong Kong, at the suit of the Crown," said, that Mr. Tarrant had been convicted of a libel upon the late Lieutenant-Governor of Hong Kong, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Soon after the sentence the Governor, after consulting with the Chief Justice, determined to reduce the imprisonment by one-half, which he did before receiving an order to that effect from the Government at home. When the day for Mr. Tarrant's liberation arrived, that gentleman was arrested upon civil process. The Governor did not state the nature of the debt, but he (Mr. C. Fortescue) believed it was the costs of the proceedings for libel; but, at all events, it was a matter with which the Government had nothing to do.