§ MR. O'CLERYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true, as reported in the local journals, that the Wexford County Militia arrived at the Salisbury Railway Station on the afternoon of Thursday, July 13, in a very exhausted condition, having been put for some time on short rations in consequence of the breakdown of the machinery in the vessel by which they were conveyed from Ireland to England; whether it is true that on their arrival at the Salisbury Station they were provided with no food or other refreshment, but were at once marched in their exhausted condition to the Camp at Horningdon Down, a distance of three miles; whether they were not so much distressed that many of them had to fall out of the ranks through fatigue; whether it is not also true that the same regiment marched at four o'clock next morning to be reviewed by the Com- 1818 mander in Chief at Stapleford Down, a distance of more than 10 miles; whether having suffered great fatigue, they did not return to the Camp at eight o'clock in the evening in a very distressed condition, having been for sixteen hours under arms; whether, if these facts are correct, the Secretary of State for War approves of a regiment being subjected to this treatment; and, whether he will cause an inquiry to be made on the subject?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, he had endeavoured, as far as possible, to obtain full information in order to answer the Question, and he had received replies by telegraph, which were, perhaps, not as complete as they would have been had he waited for a letter. It was true that the Militia regiment referred to arrived at Salisbury Station on the afternoon of the 13th inst., but not in an exhausted condition. They had not been on short rations, and the machinery did not break down, though they had had a bad passage and many were too sick to eat. Their rations had been drawn in the morning on board ship for the whole day, and some of them had eaten the whole ration at once. They, of course, were obliged to march to their camp, which was not more than three miles. Nothing was said about any having fallen out, and he presumed that statement was not correct, as no answer was given to the question. In order to avoid the great heat of the day, the regiment marched at half past 4 o'clock next day, having had a good breakfast. The distance was nine miles, and the men marched without packs. It was an excessively hot day, and some did fall out. On the day of the review their dinner was cooked and eaten on the review ground; so it is to be presumed they had some hours rest. Before starting the men had their full rations with coffee, and they seem to have had plenty of food, as General In gall reports that after the men of this regiment had dined he went round and found quantities of food thrown away. These were the answers to the Question; and he was anxious that the regiments should be treated fairly. This regiment seemed to have had good rations; but the sea was a little rougher than they were accustomed to; and he dared say they found their rations not exactly suited to the state of their stomachs.