§ MR. BIGGARasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is a fact that Lord Ronald Gower lately committed an assault upon a sentry on duty at Buckingham Palace; whether the sentry, by order of his commanding officer, took out a summons against Lord Ronald Gower; whether that summons has now been withdrawn with the approval of the Commanding Officer of the regiment and sanction of the magistrate on Lord Ronald Gower having tendered an apology; whether the matter is to be allowed to rest here; and, whether he can state to the House the cause of the assault, and what offence the sentry had given to Lord Ronald Gower?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI know nothing of the circumstances referred to in the Question, except what I have obtained from the Report of the officer commanding the Scots Guards, and as that Report is a short one, perhaps I had better read it—
It appears that about 3 A.M. on Saturday October 25, 1884, Lord Ronald Gower walked from Stafford House, St. James's, to the Ambassador's Court, St. James's Palace. It was a misty morning, and he stood in the middle of the said Court hesitating about going further. The sentry on that post, having orders not to allow anyone to loiter about, told Lord Ronald Gower to move on. This order was repeated, and no notice taken of it. The sentry then walked up to Lord Ronald Gower, touched him on the shoulder, and ordered him to walk on. Lord Ronald Gower then struck the sentry on the leg with his stick. The attention of a police-constable was immediately called, and Lord Ronald Gower's name and address taken. The sentry, by order of the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, took out a summons against Lord Ronald Gower. The summons was withdrawn with my approval and the sanction of the magistrate on the condition that Lord Ronald Gower tendered a personal apology, which he did on the 30th ult. I consider that the matter should rest here.