§ MR. LEWISasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If he would state for what pre-eminent services the officer lately selected for promotion to K.C.B. in the Royal Marines is distinguished; whether it is not the case that the officer so selected has never served out of England since he was comparatively a junior lieutenant; and, whether there are not officers of the Royal Marines who have distinguished themselves in the command of battalions abroad and of brigades before the enemy, and whose services have been mentioned in Despatches, followed by C.B. and brevet rank of Colonel; if so, were their claims for further distinction not lost sight of when an officer who never served abroad except in the subordinate rank of lieutenant, and years junior to them in the Order of the Bath, was selected for promotion to K.C.B.?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir George Langley, K.C.B., was selected for that distinction, for long, faithful, and able services on the Staff of the corps of Royal Marines, and in early life he was highly distinguished in action. With regard to the rest of the hon. Gentleman's Question, I cannot undertake the responsibility of commencing what seems to me an innovation—comparing the relative claims of officers who have and who have not been recommended to Her Majesty for the honour of knighthood.