MR. SAMUELSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether, on the arrival of the East York Regiment at Portsmouth from Aden in December last in the Serapis, the non-commissioned officers and men were deprived of their blankets by order of the Naval Authorities on board the ship, in spite of the protestations of the Regimental Authorities that the blankets were required, as the men were not to disembark until next day; whether, in consequence, the men had to sleep on the bare and damp decks; and whether within eight days of arrival at Sheffield, twenty-four men were admitted to hospital suffering from chest affections, one case nearly proving fatal?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (MR. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleIt is true that in December last the non-commissioned officers and men of the East York Regiment, on their arrival at Portsmouth from Aden in the Serapis, were deprived of their blankets, and had to sleep on the bare decks in their greatcoats. It is also 1223 true that within eight days of their arrival at Sheffield twenty-seven men were admitted to hospital suffering from chest affections. There is no doubt that the weather on their arrival was specially inclement, but there can be little doubt also that the taking away of the blankets contributed to, if it did not actually cause, this amount of illness. No blame whatever attaches to the naval authorities. The responsibility rests entirely with the Colonel commanding the battalion, who seems to me to have committed a grave error of judgment likely to imperil needlessly the health of his men. (Hear, hear.)
MR. SAMUELSONIs it the fact that the Regimental Authorities protested against the blankets being taken away?
§ *MR. E. STANHOPENo, Sir; that is not the fact.