§ MR. MARJORIBANKS (Berwickshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the following passage in the Scotsman of 18th March:—
We are informed by an Aden correspondent that the Reverend J. Dobie, Army Chaplain of the Church of Scotland in India, on returning to the coast from a recent tour of philological research in the interior of Arabia, was, without cause or explanation, thrown into prison in Hodeidah, on the Red Sea, and detained there by order of the Turkish Authorities until released by the British Consul. We understand that to redress the wrong done to the reverend gentleman the General commanding at Aden instantly dispatched the gunboat Reindeer to support the Consul at Hodeidah in demanding the immediate dismissal of the Governor who had ordered Mr. Dobie's imprisonment.Whether he can state the reasons Mr. Dobie was thrown into prison; how long he was shut up, and what his treatment was while so incarcerated; whether he is 1514 entitled to compensation for the said imprisonment; and whether he can state where Mr. Dobie now is?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONWe have not yet received information of the occurrences mentioned. My hon. Friend will see by the dates that no letters could have reached us, and as the British Authorities on the spot appear to have done what was necessary there was no occasion to refer homo by telegraph.
§ MR. MARJORIBANKSI beg to give notice that I will put another question on the subject on this day week.