§ COLONEL GREVILLEsaid, he wished to ask whether it was the intention of the Government to give any gratuity to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the militia on disembodiment? He understood that something was to be given to the officers, and it would certainly be very strange if the men were to be sent home without anything.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that in 1814 the militia were disembodied with fourteen days' pay in advance, and the troops of the line received a larger sum. That precedent would be followed on the present occasion, but the House, he was sure, would see that it was not desirable to place a large sum at once in the hands of men who were to be disembodied, when it was not quite sure that it would be applied in the manner most likely to be for their benefit. The best arrangement, it was thought, would be to consider the fourteen shillings as a gratuity of fourteen days' pay, and that the men should be entitled to the residue of the bounty when they came back to training next year. Colonels would be allowed to expend a part 1100 of the fourteen Shillings in providing the men who were in need of clothing with some; and, as they would take their fatigue jackets and other necessaries with them, those who had taken care of their clothes would be in no want for immediate use.
The Motion for the adjournment of the House to Monday was then agreed to.