§ SIR JOHN BAKER (Portsmouth)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to an inquest held at Portsmouth on the 1st instant on a Marine pensioner named Roberts, who for nearly four years was an inmate of Haslar Hospital, and who was required by the Admiralty to leave, and was informed that he would receive a pension of 2s. per day; whether he is aware that Roberts was discharged without any money being given him by the authorities to support him till his pension next became payable, and that he gave his address in the discharge book as 1127 Alverstoke Workhouse, and was ultimately found in the water near Southsea Castle under circumstances pointing to suicide; and whether he is aware also that six other pensioners suffering from various chronic diseases were similarly discharged about the same time in a destitute condition, one of whom was found several times sleeping at nights in the furze near there, and if he will state who is responsible for the men being so discharged, and what steps it is proposed to take to avoid a recurrence of such cases.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.The attention of the Admiralty was directed to this lamentable case immediately after the inquest by a letter from the Coroner, and reports were at once called for as to the facts of the case. I am not satisfied with the information I have received, and I would ask the hon. Member to postpone his question till I have made further inquiries.