HC Deb 03 August 1871 vol 208 cc772-4
COLONEL NORTH

asked the Secretary of State for War, If it meets his approval that a Colour of a Regiment which has been consecrated and given over to the care of a regiment should have been confided to the charge of a contract carrier; and, whether it is expedient, considering the extreme veneration which is attached by the soldiers to their colours, that a symbol they are taught to honour so highly should be treated with such want of respect as in the case of the colour of the 68th Regiment? He would move the adjournment of the House for the purpose of making a few remarks upon this subject. Everybody must be aware that there was the greatest possible difference between colours which were consecrated and those that were not consecrated. If unconsecrated colours were lost the question would be one only of money; but when colours had been consecrated and delivered over to the care of a regiment the matter became very different. All soldiers were taught that a greater disgrace could not arise than the loss of their colours, and every man must be prepared to sacrifice his life in defence of them. The colour in question was inscribed "Salamanca," "Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle," "Orthes," "the Alma," "Sebastopol," and since then was to be added "New Zealand." One could hardly understand how the colonel could allow the colours to leave the regiment except under protest. Each of the badges were embroidered upon a scroll, and therefore he could not understand the necessity of sending the colours of the regiment to London, because the embroidery could have been sent down and affixed by the master tailor to the colours of the regiment. The loss had occasioned a profound feeling of regret throughout the Army, and he could not understand what was meant the other night when it was said that the colour was to be paid for by the contractor, and not by the public. ["Oh, oh!"] Hon. Members who called "Oh!" did not understand the feelings of soldiers with regard to their colours. It was a tiling almost unprecedented in our Army for a regiment to lose its colours, which were looked upon far differently from a mere square of silk that could be purchased for so much money. He never knew colours to be sent except under an escort, and he hoped that this was the last occasion when the colours of a regiment would be treated with disrespect. These colours had been carried by the regiment throughout New Zealand, and now one was lost, no one knew where or how.

MR. SPEAKER

said, that he put the Question of adjournment with regret, because if this course were generally pursued it would be impossible that the Business of the House could be carried on.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—(Colonel North.)

SIR HENRY STORKS

said, that with the permission of the Secretary of State for War he would say a few words upon the question. There was no one who was more sensible of the attachment of soldiers to their colours than he was, and he yielded to no one in reference to anything by which the esprit de corps, gallantry, and right feeling in the Army were to be promoted. It was a single regimental colour that was lost. The proposal to send it by the contract carrier never was submitted to him; but the facts were simply these—It was originally proposed to send the scroll to the regiment to be attached, but it was reported that they could not attach it, and orders were thereupon given that the colour should be sent—as had been the case on a previous occasion when colours required repair—to London. What he had said the other night as to expense was merely in reply to the Question put to him, and he did not say whether it was right or wrong that the expense should be paid by the carrier and not by the public; he simply stated the fact. He quite agreed that the colours of a regiment ought to be respected and preserved with the greatest possible care; and he thought that on future occasions it would be desirable to take more care in reference to the transmission of colours.

COLONEL STUART KNOX

said, that no answer had been given to the question whether the colours were consecrated or not.

SIR HENRY STORKS

said, that if Notice of this Question were given he would answer it to-morrow.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.