§ MR. BURT (Morpeth)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Robert Stephenson, ex-corporal of the Coldstream Guards, now residing at Pegswood, near Morpeth; whether he is aware that Robert Stephenson served through the whole of the Crimean War, was wounded in that war, and holds the Crimean medal with four clasps, and also the medal given by the Sultan of Turkey; whether he can give the number of soldiers now on the pension list who served through the whole of the Crimean 223 War and who hold two medals with four clasps; whether he can state the grounds on which a pension has been refused to Mr. Stephenson; and whether, considering his infirm health, some allowance can his made to him in his old age.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverThe statements in the first two paragraphs of the hon. Member's question are correct, except that there is no record of Stephenson having been wounded. He was discharged at his own request, after a service of less than four years. He had not qualified for an ordinary pension, and the special campaign pensions are limited to men of ten years' service and upwards. I regret, therefore, that nothing can be done for Stephenson. I cannot say how many pensioners have the same medals and clasps; but pensions are granted for length of good service and not, except in cases of disablement, for medals and clasps.