§ MR. SEELY (Lincoln)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can reconsider the case of John Blythe, who was discharged from the Navy on the 4th May, 1900, with a gratuity, with the view to granting him a pension, as he states that he was injured in the back by a fall while on service, and is now partially paralysed.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. AUSETEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)I am glad that my hon. friend has given me an opportunity of stating the facts of this case. The chairman of the Isle of Wight Board of Guardians is reported to have stated to that board that Blythe was badly wounded in the back at Zanzibar in 1896, and that he had malarial fever in the Benin expedition and was now suffering from paralysis as a result, and that it was a standing disgrace to this country that no more provision should have been made for one who had become incapacitated when fighting for his country. It would appear from the official records that these statements are wholly untrue, that Blythe was not wounded at Zanzibar, and that he was not landed in the Benin expedition. His medical history sheet shows that ho was not a healthy man, but there is no record of his ever having suffered from malarial fever. I shall be glad to show it to my hon. friend if he cares to see it. Blythe had less than seven years service, and his invaliding was not due to the service. Under these circumstances the Board cannot increase the pension already awarded. I regret that the chairman of the board of guardians did not communicate with the Admiralty before making an attack based upon statements which appear to be wholly without foundation.