HC Deb 06 March 1890 vol 342 cc129-30
MR. LAWSON

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the ease of Lieutenant Gleig, late of Her Majesty's troopship Tyne, who, for addressing an imprudent letter to his superior officer, was on the 21st January sentenced to forfeit one year's seniority and to be dismissed his ship; whether he has received any complaints from the superior officers of the Tyne as to the conduct of the commander; whether, having regard to the fact that on a previous occasion all the Lieutenants of H.M.S. Tyne complained to the Commander on the Station of certain restrictions placed upon their liberty by the Commander, with the result that those restrictions were at once removed, and that Lieutenant Gleig holds good certificates from all the captains with whom he has served previously, during a period of 12 years at sea, he will take this ease into his consideration; and whether two irregularities complained of by Lieutenant Gleig in regard to the legal proceedings at his trial have received consideration?

* LORD G. HAMILTON

Lieutenant Gleig was tried for committing an act to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline in writing a highly improper letter to his captain, questioning the propriety of an order given by him. That order was given to safeguard the moving of a large amount of gunpowder. This letter Lieutenant Greig subsequently asked leave to withdraw, on the ground that he was not aware of the special circumstances which induced the captain to give the order, but Commander Good-ridge having in the meanwhile reported the circumstance of the letter to the Senior Officer at Gibraltar, the matter had passed beyond him, and the papers were consequently forwarded to the Admiralty and the court martial ordered. No complaints against the captain of the Tyne have been received at the Ad- miralty, neither is there any information concerning complaints made by the lieutenants of the Tyne, as to their leave being restricted. Lieutenant Gleig's certificates are not uniformly good. The objections raised by Lieutenant Gleig were duly considered, but were not held to be valid. This case has been most carefully considered by the Board of Admiralty, and it is not one in which we consider that any reduction of the sentence should be made.