HC Deb 10 February 1857 vol 144 cc456-7
MR. J. EWART

said, he wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it was the intention of the Government to make any recognition of the services of Sir J. M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch in the Crimea?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, Sir J. M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch were employed in the Crimea on an inquiry of a very important nature, bearing upon the state and condition of the army, and they performed their duty entirely to the satisfaction of Her Majesty's Government, and very much to their own credit—with great ability, great perseverance, and great minuteness of research; and no doubt the Report that they made was very useful to Her Majesty's Government in preventing a recurrence of such unfortunate events as had caused their being sent out. But at the same time it does not appear to Her Majesty's Government that their services were of such a peculiar nature as to require any extraordinary recognition. It may be and must be a question whether that usual acknowledgment which is made for special services shall not be made to them, and it will be our duty to consult with those Gentlemen on the subject. But in answer to the question of my hon. Friend relating, as it evidently does, to honours conferred by the Crown, I can only say that the service does not appear to us to be one of a nature requiring the Crown to step out of the ordinary course to acknowledge it.

MR. LAYARD

I wish to know whether it is true that advancement in the army was offered to Colonel Tulloch before he went out, and that since then many of his juniors have been promoted over his head?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

I am not aware of any offer of the kind having been made to Colonel Tulloch. He was a colonel in the army. There are between him and the top of the list several officers who distinguished themselves by actual service in the field, and I consider that it would not be fair to promote him over their heads.