§ THE EARL OF HARDWICKEMy Lords, I take the liberty of interrupting the Business of the House for a moment to ask the noble Duke at the head of the Admiralty a question on a subject respecting which a considerable amount of public interest has been excited. I allude to the recent departure of Sir Baldwin Walker in the Narcissus frigate. The circumstances of the gallant officer's departure are generally known, as also that it took place at a juncture when the House of Commons desired his presence. Since then it has been stated in quarters which might be supposed to have good information that a gentleman of some distinction, a well-known writer of the day, and supposed to be the editor of a great public journal, mentioned at a table, as a fact within his own knowledge, that the Commander-in-chief at Portsmouth had started early in the morning in his boat for the Narcissus, and when on board urged the Admiral to get out to sea as fast as possible, and by no means to look behind him, but to make all possible despatch out of the Channel; for that if he did not get out of the way he might probably find himself wanted elsewhere. I wish to ask the noble Duke at the head of the Admiralty, Whether there is any truth in this statement? and I must certainly add that the circumstances attending Admiral Walker's departure look exceedingly like an anxiety to escape the summons of the House of Commons.
§ THE DUKE OF SOMERSET—My Lords, there have been so many misstatements respecting the appointment and sailing of Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker that I am glad to have an opportunity of stating in my place in this House the real facts of the case. For the appointment of Sir Baldwin Walker to the command of the Cape squadron I am responsible, and solely responsible. It has been imputed to a noble Friend of mine in "another place" that it might be for his convenience that Sir Baldwin Walker should depart to a distant station. I can only say that my noble Friend Lord Clarence Paget was never consulted upon the appointment of Sir Baldwin Walker, and was not informed of it until it had been made. That appointment was made in November, and I then stated to Sir Baldwin Walker that I was very sorry to lose his services, and would much rather have re- 141 tained him in his position as Surveyor of the Navy; but he informed me that the state of his health rendered it impossible for him to continue to discharge the duties of that office. At the same time I requested that he would at least remain in England long enough to assist me and the Admiralty in preparing the Estimates for the ensuing year, and I told him that as soon as the Estimates were ready he should be allowed to go. The Estimates, in the preparation of which Sir Baldwin Walker was enabled by his long experience to render the greatest assistance, were accordingly prepared, and were presented to the House on the 12th of February, and I then told Sir Baldwin Walker that, as far as I was concerned, he was at liberty to proceed to his station. Circumstances connected, I believe, partly with his private affairs and partly with the preparation of the ship, detained him in this country, and it was not until the 26th of February that the orders for sailing were given at the Admiralty, On the 27th he went to Portsmouth, and I anticipated that he would sail the next day, which was Thursday. However, he did not sail until the Saturday, and on that day the circumstance occurred which has given rise to the report referred to in the question put to me by the noble Earl. On that Saturday Admiral Bruce went out to the Narcissus, which was off Spithead, to take out to her some additional ammunition—some Armstrong ammunition—which it was thought would be required on board the vessel; but he writes that he did not see Sir Baldwin Walker, who had then gone on a visit to Her Majesty at Osborne; that lie did not see him, that he did not want to see him, and that he gave him no orders. No orders were sent either directly or indirectly to Sir Baldwin Walker to hasten his departure. It was entirely his own doing; and as far as I was concerned I could have no possible motive to desire his departure. On the Saturday Sir Baldwin Walker anchored in Yarmouth Roads, and on the Monday he sailed. I had been informed that on a previous evening some Members of the House of Commons had declared that they did not want the Admiral to be detained, and I had no reason to suppose that any opposite opinion would arise. Indeed I then supposed that he had sailed. One night at twelve o'clock a message was brought to the First Naval Lord at the Admiralty requesting him to send a telegram to stop Sir Baldwin Walker. Now, as noble Lords are aware, the senior Naval 142 Lord always has the distribution and management of the ships. He has authorized me to say that he received that message, but that he considered the proceedings so irregular, it being only a report of what had passed in the House of Commons, without any assurance that any orders were to be sent to the Admiralty from a Secretary of State, that, conceiving that a precedent for receiving orders from the House of Commons might produce inconvenience to the public service, he declined to act upon it, and, therefore, did not that night send off any telegraphic message. In the morning he consulted me upon the subject. I communicated with the noble Lord at the head of the Government, and, being informed that he would address a letter to me upon the subject, I despatched orders to get a vessel ready and send her to look for Sir Baldwin Walker. These are the facts of the case, and I hope I have satisfied the noble Earl opposite that there was no desire to send Sir Baldwin Walker away, and that no order, either direct or indirect, or any hint of any kind was given from myself, or from any one in authority at the Admiralty, urging him to get to sea.