§ On Motion for going into Committee of Supply,
MR. W. WILLIAMSinquired whether it was intended to take Votes on account, or to pass the gross sums?
§ MR. G. HAMILTONstated, in reply, that the Government had adopted the Estimates prepared by their predecessors, and, as it was important that the whole should be agreed to before the end of the financial year, he intended to ask the Committee to vote the entire charges.
§ MR. BAGWELLsaid, he wished to call the attention of the Minister for War to a curious fact which had recently come to his knowledge, and which appeared to require serious consideration. Some time ago, a young gentleman under his guardianship, who was preparing himself for a commission in the cavalry, saw in The Times an advertisement to the effect that certain army agents would procure a commission for him without examination upon the payment of £550. Communications were opened with the agents in question, who offered, upon the sum of £550 being lodged in the hands of their bankers in Regent Street, to obtain by Tuesday next an order for the young gentleman to raise fifty men for Her Majesty's service, which being done would entitle him to a commission in the cavalry. They did not seem inclined to name the military authorities by whom the transaction was to be completed, and upon application being made to Sir Charles Yorke, he said that he knew nothing whatever about it. At first sight the affair might appear to be a swindle; but there could be no doubt that the agents were quite able to fulfil their engagements; and, in fact, numerous commissions had been obtained in a similar manner. Now, from the statement made by the Minister for War on Friday night—namely, that no fewer than 7,500 men joined the army in one month, there seemed to be no difficulty in getting recruits, and what the House ought to know was, what became of the £550 obtained from young gentlemen by parties in the position of the advertisers in The Times. There seemed to be something wrong going on; and it was with a view of clearing up the matter that he now asked an explanation of the Government.
GENERAL PEELsaid, that immediately on hearing this question put to him the other day, he made inquiries at the Horse Guards, and found that no agent was authorized by the Commander in Chief or the Adjutant General to issue the advertisement alluded to. On the contrary, by the 87th section of the Mutiny Act any person who should directly or indirectly interfere with the recruiting service, without permission in writing from the Adjutant General or the Directors of the East India Company, should for each offence forfeit the sum of £20. The advertisement had been issued without any authority from the Horse Guards.