§ COLONEL SYKESasked the President of the Board of Control whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to confer upon the officers of the Persian expedition the customary testimonials of approval of successful military operations in brevets, honours, and a medal. Expeditions by sea were always more trying to the temper, to the physical constitution, and to the comfort of troops than were those by land, and they were more than commonly trying to the Sepoys, who, if they were all of good caste, were, during the whole voyage, compelled to live upon a dry vegetable diet, as they could not cook food while they were on board ship. It was no doubt to be regretted that such a thing as caste existed amongst the Hindoos; but then it was a great fact, and we could not help it; so it was to be regretted that antagonistic religions existed in the world; but there they were, and we could not help it. Caste entailed personal sufferings and sacrifices upon the Sepoy while he was on board ship, and therefore gave him a greater claim to consideration than if his services were rendered by land. The House would admit that the expedition to Persia had been managed with unexampled success, that the officer who commanded it had not failed to accomplish any of its objects, but had conducted it to an end which was creditable to the troops and to himself. Under these circumstances, and considering the present state of affairs in India, it was highly desirable that those honours and rewards, which were so dear to soldiers, should be conferred with as little delay as possible.
MR. VERNON SMITHsaid, that the 2002 hon. and gallant Gentleman and the House must be aware of the high honour and estimation in which Her Majesty's Government held the gallantry, the courage and skill which were displayed by the officers and men of the troops engaged in the Persian expedition. Whether their services had been such as to bring them within the rules observed in the granting of the honours and rewards referred to, and whether the success of the expedition was such as to justify the striking of a medal for the occasion, must be questions for future consideration. The course pursued on these occasions, as the hon. and gallant Member well knew, was that the Governor General should specify the officers whom he recommended for honours to the Court of Directors, and that the Court should forward these recommendations to Her Majesty's Government. Therefore, if the hon. and gallant Member was anxious to expedite the conferring of these honours, instead of asking him (Mr. Vernon Smith) for information, his best course would be to urge the question upon the Court of Directors, of which he himself was a Member.
§ COLONEL SYKESsaid, he had not put this question as a Director of the East India Company.