§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONEsaid, he would beg, in the absence of his hon. Friend (Mr. Pemberton) to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Copy of the Correspondence relating to the trial by Court-Martial of Serjeant Jacob Hill, of the Marine Light Infantry; and whether the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown has been taken on the legality of the sentence?
§ MR. CHILDERSsaid, in reply, that Serjeant Jacob Hill, of the Marine Light Infantry, was charged, he believed, with procuring or assisting in the desertion of some men from a Regiment of Militia, was found guilty, and punished by reduction to the ranks. After the trial a solicitor wrote to the Admiralty on his behalf, raising some technical objections which the Admiralty were advised had nothing in them. He did not think that was a case in which Parliament would wish to have before it the correspondence on the subject. It would be quite contrary to all precedent; and he must, therefore, respectfully decline to lay the Papers on the Table.