§ MR. JACOB BRIGHTasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the Order, dated Nov. 1st, 1876,
No medicine, medical or surgical appliances of any kind will be supplied from the public stores to the wife or children of any soldier who is not married with leave,has been issued with his authority; whether it is true that William Webster (upon whose child an inquest was lately held in Woolwich in consequence of its death after medical attendance had been refused at the Military Hospital) was a driver in the Royal Artillery, and had been twelve years in the service, and was an officer's servant and absent on duty with his master when his child's death occurred; and, whether he had received any good conduct marks at any time, or had at any time been punished for misconduct?
§ MR. STANLEY (for Mr. GATHORNE HARDY)The Regulations published on this subject in 1871 enumerate the advantages to be obtained by soldiers married with leave, or by their families, and state that no non-commissioned officer or soldier who is not upon the married roll will be entitled to such advantages. The Regulations of 1876 published by authority of the present Secretary of State contain nothing new on this point, but were issued in a more condensed form simply for convenience sake. It is true that William Webster was a driver in the Royal Artillery, and when the child's death occurred he was absent from Woolwich with his master; he has 11 years' service, was an officer's servant, and his character is very good, and he has two good conduct badges. The medical officers, three in number, attached to the Female Hospital at Woolwich all assert that they know nothing of a woman named Webster having applied for relief of her child at the hospital.