HC Deb 08 June 1857 vol 145 cc1320-1
SIR GEORGE PECHELL

inquired of the Secretary to the Treasury whether the case of certain naval officers of Greenwich Hospital has been favourably considered, and which was referred to the Treasury by the Board of Admiralty, praying they might be placed in the same position with regard to the receipt of half-pay as other officers of that establishment.

MR. WILSON

said, that the subject alluded to by the hon. and gallant Member for Brighton was one of great importance to the service, and required a very considerable amount of deliberation. The rule both in the army and navy was that whenever an officer took any civil employment his half-pay was suspended during the time he was so occupied. There were, no doubt, exceptions to that rule, and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Greenwich Hospital were exceptions to the rule: [Sir G. PECHELL: "And the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital"]; but it was to be borne in mind that greater responsibility attached to the Governor and Deputy Governor than to the officers in question. It was true that the military officers of Chelsea Hospital drew their half-pay as well as their salaries, but the salaries of the officers of Greenwich Hospital were much larger than those of the corresponding officers of Chelsea Hospital. The salary of the four captains of Greenwich Hospital was £400 a year; their total present emoluments were £620, and their half-pay, if granted, would be £264 in addition. The salary of the four Commanders was £300, and of the ten lieutenants and masters £230, but their total present emoluments, independent of half-pay, were £503 and £398 respectively. With regard to the officers at Chelsea, the salary of the major was £350, and of the adjutant £200, while the salary of the three captains and three lieutenants was only £63, against the £230 received by the lieutenants and masters at Greenwich; so that if the half-pay of the Chelsea officers were added to their salary their whole emoluments would not be found to amount to so much as the civil pay, without half-pay, of the officers of Greenwich Hospital. The Government were of opinion that to make an exception in the case of these officers would be to open a wide door to similar applications, and they were, therefore, not prepared to make so great an exception to the general rule.