§ MR. J. LOWTHERasked the Surveyor General of the Ordnance, Whether his attention has been called to the arrangements made by the Control Department at the Militia Camp near Appleby; if it is true that the straw for the men's bedding, which was due on the 3rd of June, was not delivered until the 7th instant; that the bread was (for some days especially) of an inferior quality; that the wood supplied for cooking purposes was green and utterly 1850 unfit for use; that scales were sent without triangles upon which to hoist them; and that the pumps having failed to furnish an adequate supply of water, a water cart was sent, but no horses being provided or authority given for the receipt of tenders for that purpose until ten days after the arrival of the cart at the Camp, it could not be used, and water had to be brought from a considerable distance, thereby necessitating the employment of men upon fatigue duties when they would otherwise have been engaged at drill; and, who is responsible for these arrangements?
§ MR. WHITWELLsaid, he wished also to ask the right hon. Gentleman, If his attention has been drawn to the fact that of the three regiments that were camped together, one regiment ran away with a barrel of beer from the stores, and that complete disorder ensued; whether he has heard of a case, where the men being refused beer, they commenced an onslaught on the publican's premises, and broke the whole of the glass in the window with the exception of two panes; and whether it has been reported to him that there were a number of unlicensed houses selling liquor to the soldiers in addition to that provided by the canteens to a considerable extent—to the extent, as he lad been informed, in one instance, of several hundred barrels?
§ SIR HENRY STORKSSir, my attention has not been called to the unsatisfactory nature, as alleged, of the arrangements made by the Control Department at the camp near Appleby, until my hon. Friend placed his Question on the Notice Paper, nor to the details quoted by the hon. Member for Kendal. Since then, however, inquiries lave been made into the matter, and as he result of those inquiries is not, in my opinion, satisfactory, a Court of Inquiry will be appointed to investigate he circumstances and complaints brought forward by the hon. Gentlemen. I shall be prepared to answer my hon. Friend's Question when the result of the Court of Inquiry has been communicated to me, of which I will give them notice.