Captain Berkeleybegged to ask, whether it were a fact, that after the issuing of the proclamation, the crew of her Majesty's ship the Pique had been paid in light sovereigns, thereby causing a great loss to the men.
§ Sir G. Cockburnhaving seen the statement made in the papers, had directed the necessary inquiries to be made, and there was not the slightest foundation for the report. The Admiralty had directed a letter to be written to the railway company where it was said the light gold was tendered, and the reply was, that there was no truth in the statement—that the men generally ten.- 197 dered five-pound notes, and that there was some little difficulty in getting change.
Captain Berkeleywished to ask another question. It was currently reported in naval circles, that the present commander-in chief in the Mediterranean had issued an order which had been much complained of by the squadron at Malta— to curtail the leave of the ships' companies to go on shore, which had been enjoyed by them under the former commander-in-chief. He wished to know whether the hon. and gallant Officer was aware that such an order had been issued?
Sir G.Cockburnsaid, he knew of no such order as refusing leave to the ships' companies, nor had he heard of any complaints from the fleet. By a paper which had been lately placed in his hands, he learned that some restraint had been placed on the crews, in consequence of the vessels preparing for sea, and one of the orders bore on that point to a certain extent. It was, however, only against the indiscriminate permission to go ashore that the order had been issued.