§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has yet withdrawn the charge contained in the Admiralty Letter of 17th October, 1908, to Mr. Archer-Shee, informing Mr. Archer-Shee that he must remove his son from the Royal Naval College at Osborne, as the Admiralty had come to the conclusion that Mr. Archer-Shee's son had stolen a postal order from the college; and whether he has in any way expressed his regret to Mr. Archer-Shee or his son for having allowed this young gentleman to remain under serious and unfounded charges for two years and five months?
§ Mr. McKENNAI must refer the Noble Lord to the statements made by me in this House on 6th April last, in which he will find both a public withdrawal of the charge and an unqualified expression of regret.
§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDMay I ask whether it has not hitherto been the practice when an unfounded charge has been made and subsequently found to be incorrect to apologise to the individual personally concerned for any pain, trouble and annoyance that may have been caused, and whether in this case, as the charge was one of the grossest character affecting the honour of an officer in His Majesty's Service the usual apology among gentlemen will be made?
§ Mr. McKENNAI hardly think that is a proper question to put in the way of a supplementary question. If the Noble Lord has anything of the kind to ask me, I prefer that he should put it on the Paper.