§ Order of the Day for the Consideration of the Queen's Message of Yesterday read.
§
Message read.
Moved, That a humble Address be presented to Her Majesty to return Her Majesty the Thanks of this House for Her Majesty's most gracious Message informing this House "That Her Majesty, taking into consideration the important Services rendered by Sir Robert Napier, a Lieutenant-General in Her Majesty's Army, and Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Bombay, in the Conduct of the recent Expedition into Abyssinia, and being desirous to confer some signal Mark of Her Favour for these and other distinguished Merits upon the said Sir Robert Napier, recommends it to the House of Lords to concur in enabling Her Majesty to make Provision for securing to the said Sir Robert Napier and the next surviving Heir Male of his Body a Pension of Two thousand Pounds per Annum;" and to assure Her Majesty that this House will cheerfully concur in enabling Her Majesty to make such Provision.—(The Lord Privy Seal.)
LORD MELVILLEsaid, he could not withhold the expression of his opinion that in granting this pension to Sir Robert Napier for two lives only their Lordships were establishing a bad precedent instead of following a good one. He was not aware of any pension having been granted for such distinguished services for less than three lives. Taking into account the distinguished character of the operations, the obstacles which had been overcome in the campaign, and the signal ability displayed by this distinguished officer, he hoped the Government would re-consider their de termination, and grant the pension on the terms which had been invariably followed heretofore—namely, for three lives.
§ EARL RUSSELLexpressed his entire concurrence in the Address which had been moved by the noble Earl.
§ Address agreed to Nemine Contradicente, and Ordered to be presented to Her Majesty by the Lords with White Staves.