§ MR. WATERHOUSEasked the Secretary of State for War, What control the Officer in charge of the Band of the Grenadier Guards will have over his men in the event of insubordination or desertion from the ranks during their visit to the United States; and, whether he has any objection to place upon the Table of the House any Correspondence that has taken place between the War Office and the Military authorities on the subject?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, there is no novelty in the circumstance of an officer with soldiers under his charge going to a foreign country on a visit of this nature; and in the present instance the officer in charge will have exactly the same authority as was exercised, for example, by the officer of Royal Engineers in charge of the men who attended the Paris Exhibition. Under the present arrangements no correspondence passes between the War Office and the military authorities.
§ COLONEL STUART KNOXasked, Whether any instance had ever before occurred of a band or a company of soldiers being sent out of the country by order of the Secretary of State for War, and without any communication in the first instance with the Commander-in-Chief?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, it has not happened in any former case, nor am I aware that it has happened in this.
THE EARL OF YARMOUTHasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will be good enough to inform the House of the date on which the promise was given that the Band of the Grenadier Guards should proceed to the United 1511 States, and by whom that promise was given; also the date on which His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief was informed of that promise, and the date on which His Royal Highness received the sanction of Her Majesty for the band to proceed to America; and, whether the Secretary of State for War has not now ascertained that portions of uniform were served out to civilians to enable them to appear as bandsmen; and, if so, by whose authority?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, the date on which a promise of permission was given was the 27th of September last, by a letter from my right hon. Friend the Surveyor General (Sir Henry Storks) to the Secretary of the United States' Legation. At that time the subject had been placed by His Royal Highness and by me in the hands of the Adjutant General and of my right hon. Friend. The completion of the arrangements having been notified to the Adjutant General, the formal submission to the Queen was made by His Royal Highness on the 29th of May, and Her Majesty's approval was received on the 30th. I have ascertained, not, indeed, that any novelty has been resorted to on this occasion in respect of civilians being permitted to wear the uniform of bandsmen in the Guards, but that an abuse, heretofore unknown to His Royal Highness the Colonel of the regiment and to the Adjutant General—and it was on their authority I made my former statement—has for some time prevailed of permitting civilians to supply the place of enlisted soldiers in the bands of the Guards. That abuse has been brought to light by the useful assiduity of the noble Earl, and directions have been given to prevent its repetition.
THE EARL OF YARMOUTHasked, at whose expense the cost of the uniforms worn by civilians would be defrayed?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, as the noble Earl, I believe, is an officer—[Cries of "Was!"]—was an officer in one of the regiments in which the abuse has prevailed, I presume he is better acquainted with the subject than I am. If, however, he wishes for information on the point, and will place his Question on the Paper, I will ascertain what has been done in the present instance.