§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether his attention had been drawn to a case heard on the 7th instant before the Gosport magistrates, when Sub-Lieutenant Brownrigg was charged with being drunk and violently assaulting the police, which case was allowed to be withdrawn on payment of 3s.; and, whether the Government propose to take any action in the matter?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)The case referred to has already been inquired into and dealt with by the Com- 439 mander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, who has inflicted the punishment on Mr. Brownrigg which he was of opinion the case merited. He informs me that the newspaper reports greatly exaggerated the case, which was not one, in his judgment, that could be dealt with by a court martial.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHasked, whether it was not the case that the officer in question blacked the eye of one of the policemen?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONsaid, there was no doubt Sub-Lieutenant Brownrigg assaulted the police, and for that assault he had been severely censured. This officer, he might add, had previously a good record, and he was the son of a distinguished officer who lost his life in the Service.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHasked the noble Lord whether he was aware that in a recent case in Middlesex a man got 12 months' imprisonment for a less offence?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThat was by the Civil Authority. I have nothing to do with the Civil Authority.