HC Deb 18 June 1891 vol 354 cc878-9

Resolution 1 (see page 661) agreed to.

Resolution 2. That a sum, not exceeding £122,700, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Expense of Medical Services, including the cost of Medical Establishments at Home and Abroad, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1892.

(12.15.) DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)

The noble Lord the First Lord of the Admiralty will remember that last year I raised one or two questions with regard to the Medical Department. I should be glad if he will say what steps are being taken to carry out the promises he gave to me last year.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, Ealing

The hon. Gentleman made certain propositions last year, the chief object of which was that when naval medical officers were at home they should have an opportunity of practising in or of visiting the hospitals in London. Arrangements have been made to carry out the suggestion. I cannot at the moment state the details, but if the hon. Gentleman will put a question to me on some future day I shall be glad to give him all the information in my possession.

Resolution agreed to.

Resolutions 3 to 11 agreed to.

Resolution 12, That a sum, not exceeding £140,400, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Expense of various Miscellaneous Effective Services, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1892. —read a second time.

SIR G. CAMPBELL&c.) (Kirkcaldy,

I beg to move the reduction of the Vote by £4,000, in order to elicit some very necessary information. I notice that £4,000 is to be paid to Admiral Colomb for certain inventions. I do not wish to depreciate Admiral Colomb or his inventions—I know nothing about them—but I think some notice of this payment should have been given to the House of Commons. The only possible item under which this payment can appear is that "of small and unforseen expenses." But this payment is not unforseen at all. As I understand, it is a reward to Admiral Colomb which his friends have been agitating for for years, and which the Government have hitherto resisted. It is irregular that a Vote of this kind should be passed without any notice being given to the bulk of the Members of the House.

Amendment proposed, to leave out "£140,400," and insert "£136,400."—(Sir George Campbell.)

Question proposed, "That '£140,400' stand part of the Resolution."

LORD G. HAMILTON

Many representations have been made by Members of the House of Commons with reference to some remuneration being paid to Admiral Colomb for his inventions in connection with flash lights. The whole correspondence has been laid for some time before Parliament, and it shows that £2,000 had to be paid to Admiral Colomb. That sum was inserted in the Estimates, and has been paid. Some time after the Estimates were presented to Parliament we came to the conclusion that the reward should be increased to £4,000. It would have been quite regular for the Government to get the Vote without declaring that £4,000 instead of £2,000 was to be paid to Admiral Colomb.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Resolution agreed to.