§ MR. LIDDELLsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any official information has been received of Major Gordon's retirement from the command of the Anglo-Chinese disciplined force, in compliance with the terms of the Order in Council of March last, or whether any "secret orders," or reservations, or discretionary powers, were conveyed to Major Gordon or any other English officer in China along with such Order in Council; and, if so, whether there be any objection to state the nature of such secret orders or reservations, and under what circumstances such discretionary powers were to be exercised?
§ MR. LAYARDreplied that the Order in Council was dated the 1st of March, I and had not left this country until the 10th of March. There had not yet been time to hear from Sir Frederick Bruce on the subject. There were no secret orders. Instructions were given to Sir Frederick Bruce that Major Gordon should retire from the Chinese service; but, if he could withdraw him from that service, and yet retain him under his own orders for the defence of the thirty miles radius, he was directed to do so.