10. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the fact that the B.I. steamer "Gregory Apcar" arrived at Singapore on 25th February last, with 563 passengers, chiefly Chinese soldiers and their wives returning from Tibet to China; whether he is aware that before reaching Singapore eleven passengers died and were buried at sea and that other deaths subsequently took place while the steamer was at Singapore, as many as twelve deaths having taken place in one day; whether the deaths before the steamer reached Singapore were attributed to heat-stroke; whether he can now say what was the cause of the deaths; whether he can say what provision for medical attendance was made on board this steamer; and what qualification was possessed by the medical attendant?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI have made telegraphic inquiry about the matter; but, pending the return of the vessel to Calcutta about 30th April, when full inquiry will be made, I am unable to give any further information than that a medical attendant was on board and that his qualifications, said to be those of a military assistant surgeon, were accepted by the health officer at the port of Calcutta.