§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he adheres to the statement "that Commander Cheyne had admitted in writing that he had received his appointment in the Naval Hospital at Plymouth only till he should have attained the age of 55 years, and not for life," or whether, having made further inquiry, he will now modify that statement?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRESir, I have to state that, having made further inquiry into Commander Cheyne's case, I must admit that I was in error in stating that this officer had made an admission that his appointment was not for life. The error arose from my having mistaken the signature of another officer who held a similar appointment, and with somewhat similar name to Commander Cheyne's, in a letter making this statement with reference to his own case. In saying this, however, I must again repeat that Commander Cheyne held his appointment upon the terms I have stated—namely, till retirement from active service, and not for life. 1178 Captain Hall, who was the Duke of Somerset's private secretary at the time, and communicated with Commander Cheyne on this subject, has informed me that he could not have given that officer to understand that he was to hold the appointment upon other terms than were then in force, and under which such appointments were vacated on retirement.