§ MR. HEALYasked the Secretary of State for War, If he has made inquiry into the conduct of the Marines at Ban-try on 3rd August; and whether he can state the result to the House?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the hon. Member I have to state that for many months after the Marines, who are an extremely well-conducted body of men, were stationed at Bantry no quarrels took place between them and the roughs of the town; but in May last a marine of the name of Kenny was knocked down and brutally kicked by a man named Patrick O'Leary; and I am sorry to say that he died of his injuries. O'Leary was committed at the coroner's inquest to take his trial for manslaughter at the Cork Assizes, but was acquitted. He returned to Bantry and boasted of having killed this unfortunate man, applying to him an epithet which I will not repeat. On the 1st instant another marine was knocked down without the slighest provocation and seriously injured; and the repetition of this brutality so exasperated the Marines that on the following day a body of them undoubtedly acted most improperly in sallying out of barracks with a view of fighting the roughs, and especially of thrashing Patrick O'Leary, if they could find him. Patrick O'Leary seems to have effected a series of very masterly retreats, and nothing more appears about him in the report of the proceedings; but the collision with the roughs took place, and the Marines cleared the streets. I need not say that this act was most reprehensible; and after dealing with the men, Sir Thomas Steele very properly ordered that the Marines should to removed from Bantry. I may add that I have received a copy of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Bantry 1728 magistrates, expressing their opinion that the original attack on the Marines was most unprovoked, that they had punished one of those proved to be engaged in it, and adding their general testimony to the uniform good behaviour up to that time of the men, and their regret at their removal.