§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. W. H. SMITH)I beg, Sir, to ask the permission of the House to make a short statement with reference to the rewards to be given to the troops recently employed in Egypt and the Soudan. Her Majesty's Government has decided to grant to the troops employed in the Nile Expedition and in the active operations at Suakin a special gratuity, similar in character to those allowed after the Tel-el-Kebir Campaign and the Soudan operations of 1884. The gratuity for the Nile Expedition will be confined to the officers and men who advanced beyond Wady Haifa on the Nile, and that for Suakin to those who were on shore there between March 1 and May 14, 1885. In consideration of the peculiarly arduous nature of the duty imposed upon all ranks serving with the Nile Expedition, the amount of gratuity has in this case been fixed at £5 for the men, with a proportionate increase according to rank for the officers and non-commissioned officers employed. The unit for the Suakin gratuity is the same as was given in 1884—namely, £2, and with the same comparative results to the higher ranks. The War Office is in communication with the India Office as to whether the Indian Contingent and Native followers shall receive the usual donation batta under Indian Regulations, or a special gratuity upon the same principle as that given to the British troops. It is estimated that the cost of these gratuities will be covered by the Vote of Credit.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANMay I ask whether Her Majesty's Government have decided to issue medals to the troops in connection with the Campaign.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATEThe arrangements already made for the issue of Egyptian medals to those of the troops who have not already received them have been stated. There is to be one clasp for those engaged in the Nile and Suakin Expedition, and a special clasp for those who were engaged in the severe battles which took place under Sir Herbert Stewart and General Earle.
§ MR. PULESTONWill the officers and men of the Navy engaged in the Campaign come in for the same distribution?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATESimilar gratuities will certainly be given to the officers and men of the Navy employed within the same limits and under similar circumstances.
§ MR. BRODRICKCan the right hon. Gentleman say what the corresponding gratuities to officers will be?
§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDWill apportion of these gratuities be paid by the Egyptian Government? Is not the amount now paid by them a fixed sum?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATENo, Sir; no portion of the gratuity will be paid by the Egyptian Government. As to the gratuities to officers, I am afraid that I shall have to trouble the House with too much detail if I state the exact amounts. The gratuities for officers are based upon a system which has been in practice for many years.
§ SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOTDo I understand that there is to be no Soudan medal, but that there is only to be an Egyptian medal similar to that issued after Tel-el-Kebir, and nothing special to recognize the services of the Army in the Soudan?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATEMy hon. and gallant Friend seems to have taken rather an unfavourable view of the arrangement. There will be special recognition of the services of the Army in the Soudan by the issue of two clasps, one in regard to service south of Wady Haifa, and another clasp for the troops engaged at Suakin, and a special clasp for those engaged in the battle of the 23rd of March.