§ MR. SCOTTsaid he rose to move an Address for tabular "Returns of the names of all Officers in the Army and Navy who have been decorated with the Order of the Bath since the 1st day of January, 1854, with the degree and date of such decoration; the date of entrance into Her Majesty's Service, and promotion to their different ranks therein; giving also the Staff or other appointments or commands, with the emoluments attached, held by them respectively, and stating the engagements in which they had taken part; and of the Civilians who during the said period have been honoured with the like decoration, and the date." In moving for the above Returns, he wished to disclaim doing anything invidious, or an intention to find fault with the distribution of honours. On the contrary, he apprehended that, if the Returns were granted, they would show with what strict impartiality the patronage had been exercised, and all mistaken notions would disappear on their publication.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, he thought that, according to strict practice, some Parliamentary grounds should be shown for the production of Returns—such, for example, as the setting right of some grievance, or the supplying of some peculiarly useful information. However, if the hon. Gentleman thought that misapprehensions really existed as to the exercise of the Prerogative of the Crown—if those would be removed by the production of the information asked for, he would not put the House to the trouble of dividing against the Motion for an Address.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ The House adjourned at a quarter before Nine o'clock.