COLONEL DUNNEsaid, he wished to ask the hon. Under Secretary of War whether a Court of Inquiry ordered to assemble to investigate charges affecting General Beatson and other officers of rank was to be secret?
§ MR. FREDERICK PEELsaid, that the Court of Inquiry into the charges brought by General Beatson against General Shirley would be, as was usual with Courts of that nature, a close Court, that is, it would not be open to the public, but the parties to the inquiry and their witnesses would be allowed to be present. It should be remembered that it was a preliminary inquiry, and was analogous to the proceedings of a grand jury.