§ MR. MACDONALDasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If he can give any information in regard to a court-martial held at Sydney, New South Wales, on the 20th December last, on board H.M.S. "Wolverene," by which Charles P. Stamp, engine-room artificer of H.M.S. "Lance," was sentenced to be imprisoned for twelve months with hard labour; whether he is aware that a considerable amount of sympathy has been expressed by the inhabitants of that city, on the ground that they consider the punishment excessive; and, if he has no information, will he cause inquiries to be made into the circumstances of the case, so that he may give information on a future day?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, on the 20th of September this man, who had returned off leave that morning, went up to the ship's corporal and struck him on the side of the head, and was making at him again if he had not been prevented by a stoker. While the case was being investigated by the senior lieutenant, Stamp again struck the ship's corporal in the officer's presence. He pleaded "Guilty," and was sentenced to dis- 1528 missal and imprisonment. That is the plain story from a Service point of view; but circumstances have come to the knowledge of the Board of Admiralty which may lead them to mitigate the punishment. The man is now on his way home.