HC Deb 24 May 1855 vol 138 c972
ADMIRAL WALCOTT

I must, through you, Sir, entreat the indulgence of the House to preface the question which I am about to submit to the First Lord of the Admiralty, with a few, but to me most necessary words. To no pain more acute could I render myself liable, than the reflection that, by any expressions of mine, I had justly incurred the suspicion of holding the army in consideration and honour inferior to that in which I regard my own profession. No jealousies exist between the branches of the United Service—their only rivalry lies in the fervour of their mutual desire to promote the success of each other. I am influenced by one motive, to prevent an irregularity becoming a precedent, and to vindicate and confirm the position held by usage and prescriptive right of the navy. I wish, therefore, to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, why, on the late occasion of the distribution of the Crimean medals by the Sovereign, or by what inadvertence, the navy were displaced from their prescriptive position in front of the army, and the marines from their right of precedence of the 50th Regiment?

SIR CHARLES WOOD

said, the position of the navy and marines on the occasion arose from no inadvertence; but as it was the great object of the Admiralty to promote the best possible feeling between the seamen and marines, it was, therefore, thought more convenient and more in accordance with the feelings of men who had served, fought, and bled together in the Crimea, that they should also be formed together when receiving the orders to which their gallant conduct had entitled them.