HC Deb 10 July 1868 vol 193 cc1065-6
MAJOR ANSON

said, he had on the Paper for that evening a Motion for a Committee to inquire into the truth of the, charges he had made on Monday night against the above establishment. He had put that Motion on the Paper in consequence of the remarks made by the Secretary of State for War in answer to his speech. Since then he had had a consultation with the right hon. Gentleman in the Chair, and found that his Motion was not strictly in Order. He was therefore obliged to withdraw it but he was anxious to have the truth of his statements investigated, and he would be happy to adopt any suggestion which the Secretary of State for War might make for that purpose.

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON

wished to say that, in consequence of what passed the other evening, he had communicated with the officers of the War Office, and with Colonel Campbell, the head of the Royal Gun Factory, at Woolwich, who were affected by the statements of the hon. and gallant Member for Lichfield (Major Anson). Those officers were all gentlemen of as high station, honour, and character as that hon. and gallant Member himself, and they felt very much hurt by the statements which the hon. and gallant Member had made, casting serious imputations upon them; and they all desired that there should be some inquiry into the subject. The hon. and gallant Member would admit that it was due to those officers that his statements should be investigated or withdrawn; and under those circumstances the best course would, he thought, be that the hon. and gallant Member should draw up the charges which he was prepared to make against the Royal Gun Factory at Woolwich, and then they would be in a position to refer them to a Select Committee of the House for investigation. He (Sir John Pakington) would suggest that the Committee of Inquiry should consist of only five Members, to be appointed by the Committee of Selection, and should sit de die in diem, to investigate the charges which the hon. and gallant Member might be prepared to specify.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn; Committee deferred till Monday nest.