§ MR. STAPLETONasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is true that three thousand bad characters have been discharged from the Army during the last two years; whether many of these men are in the receipt of parochial relief; and, whether the Home Office is in possession of any information as to the way in which those who are not receiving such relief get their living?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I have obtained from the War Department a Return which answers the first Question of my hon. Friend, and the purport of which I can read to the House. During the last two years ending March 31, 1871, there have been discharged from the Army, on account of bad conduct, as follows:—By sentence of Court Martial, 1,691; persons not permitted to reengage on the expiration of their first period of service, 1,282; recommended for discharge by commanding officers as soldiers either incorrigible or of no value, or convicted by the civil power, 1,124; and sentenced to penal servitude, 27; making a total in excess of the number given by my hon. Friend of 4,124. With regard to the second and third Questions, I am sorry to say there is no official information in existence. No Department of the Government has the power of tracing these men so as to learn whether they are in receipt of parochial relief, nor have the police any cognizance of them as discharged soldiers, unless in the casual instances in which they may come under notice on account of fresh misconduct.