§ MR. CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he can state if, when the medal for "distinguished conduct in the field" was first granted, it carried with it a gratuity of £15 to a sergeant, £10 to a corporal, and £5 to a private soldier; whether the gratuity has since been reduced to £5 for all ranks; and, if so, from what date this change took place; and how many of these medals have been issued during the past five years?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSBy a Royal Warrant of 1854 this medal was instituted for, and only for, service in the then war with Russia, with the gratuities mentioned in the first paragraph of the Question. By a warrant of 1862 the medal was made (applicable to service generally, but without any gratuity. The warrant of 1887 attached to the medal the issue of a gratuity of £5, which arrangement still holds. Thirteen such medals have been issued during the last five years.