§ 4. Commander BELLAIRSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any court-martial was ever held to investigate the destruction of the "Pegasus," at anchor at Zanzibar, by the "Konigsberg," at a range beyond the range of the guns of the "Pegasus"; whether any officer in command on the station asked for a court- martial; and, if refused, why was it refused?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Long)No court-martial was held into the loss of the "Pegasus" on the 20th September, 1914. The commanding officer asked in July, 1915, for a Court of Inquiry or court-martial; but the Admiralty decided that as war operations and difficulties in this theatre of war had prevented an inquiry at the time, it was then too late to hold a court-martial or Court of Inquiry.
§ Commander BELLA1RSWhy is it too late, seeing that on many occasions courts-martial have been held, seven, eight and nine years after the event?
§ Mr. LONGI do not think that there have been any recent cases of that kind. That was the opinion of the Board of Admiralty in 1915, and the present Board see no reason to differ from it.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs it not hard lines on an officer when he is reflected on in this way, involving a censure, that he cannot get a court-martial?
§ Sir B. FALLEIs there any reason for the suggestion that an inquiry would affect the conduct of a member of the last Government?