HC Deb 19 February 1856 vol 140 cc980-1
LORD WILLIAM GRAHAM

said, he begged to ask the hon. Under Secretary for War whether Sir John M'Neill's Re- port was communicated to the authorities at the Horse Guards on its arrival in this country, and, if not, what were the reasons which induced the Government to withhold it.

MR. FREDERICK PEEL

said, that the noble Lord, in putting his question, had overlooked the fact that the Commissioners had made two Reports; and the Report which principally concerned the Horse Guards was dated London, and therefore could not have arrived in this country, for it was made in England. The first Report was sent by the Commissioners to the War Department in June last, not in the form in which it now appeared with the tables inserted, or with any evidence of Returns attached to the Report, but in a less complete form, being merely for the information of Lord Panmure. That Report was not, he understood, communicated to Lord Hardinge, I inasmuch as it concerned a branch of the military administration which was entirely under the control of the War Department—namely, the Commissariat. The second Report, along with the evidence and appendices, was prepared and printed by the Commissioners; and it was completed in January in the present year. It was submitted to Lord Panmure in the latter end of that month; and that noble Lord immediately gave directions that its publication should be proceeded with, and it was distributed without loss of time. The interval between its being seen by Lord Panmure and Lord Hardinge must have been very short indeed; in fact, it could not be said that there was anything like an endeavour to withhold it from the Horse Guards.

COLONEL NORTH

I should like to know from the hon. Under Secretary whether the document on the table contains the whole Report of these Commissioners, and, if not, whether there is any intention on the part of the Government of laying' the whole Report before the House?

MR. FREDERICK PEEL

There is no intention of submitting the Report in any other form than that in which it is at present before the House.

MR. ROEBUCK

I must point out to the hon. Gentleman that that is no answer to the question put to him.

COLONEL NORTH

said, he should renew the question to-morrow in the hope of then getting an answer.