THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEasked, If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Ministers to recommend that a grant of some kind be given to the Forces employed on the Gold Coast against the Ashantees? Their Lordships were aware that Sir Garnet Wolseley had been voted a grant of £25,000. with honours, and honours and rewards of various kinds had been given to the Officers; but he did not know that anything was to be given to the Men but medals. He had heard they were to have medals. He believed, however, it was not unusual that a grant of money should be given to men engaged on a service like the Ashantee Expedition. This was not an ordinary war. True, the men were on extra pay—they had climate pay, field allowances, and other additional remuneration; but those extras were only allowed as payments by the day, and the number of days the war lasted was but 1256 few. The men would have been better off if they had been paid by the job—for this was an important job well executed. If he was not mistaken, the men engaged in the Chinese War and the Abyssinian Expedition were on India batta, which pay made a great difference in the soldier's favour. It must be remembered that, in the Ashantee Expedition, the soldiers not only fought, but they volunteered to carry stores and ammunition—a thing not in the ordinary course of duty. He did not mean to say that troops ought not to do anything they were required to do; but there ought to be a recognition of extra service cheerfully performed. We had got a considerable amount of gold out of King Coffee, and a promise of more, and he thought that, in equity, a portion of this at least belonged to the troops.
§ THE DUKE OF RICHMONDMy Lords, I do not think it necessary for me on this occasion to bear fresh testimony to the value of the services rendered by the troops engaged in the Ashantee Expedition. Both Houses of Parliament have already expressed themselves on the subject in a manner that can leave no doubt as to what those views are, I will not, therefore, follow the noble Earl in the eulogy passed by him upon the officers and men engaged. The question of prize money is one of a very difficult character to deal with, and great care and prudence are required to avoid establishing an unwise or dangerous precedent in connection with it. I have, however, to inform the noble Earl that the conclusion which Her Majesty's Government have come to in the matter is this—that as between Her Majesty and the King of Ashantee the value of the property that was handed to Sir Garnet Wolseley before the Treaty, is to be allowed as part payment of the indemnity which was guaranteed by the Treaty afterwards signed; but as between Her Majesty and the troops, in consideration of the very peculiar circumstances under which the money was extracted from the King, and of the fact that it was mainly owing to the pressure of the troops that it was obtained, it is intended, with the consent of the other House of Parliament, that that money shall be considered as prize.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONsaid, he wished to supplement the statement 1257 of his noble Friend by a few words having reference to one portion of the forces. Their Lordships would recollect that not only was there an expedition acting under the direct command of Sir Garnet Wolseley, composed of regular troops, but there was also a colonial expedition, acting under Captain Glover, on Sir Garnet's flank to the eastward. He could only say with respect to the commander and officers of the colonial expedition that their hardships and trials were not less than those of the officers in the other expedition, and their courage, patience, and perseverance were not less. All of them sustained a considerable loss of property and health, and all of them were exposed to the most grievous of all trials to which officers could be exposed—their troops were untrustworthy, and liable at any moment to show cowardice and desert. That was the position in which the volunteer officers were placed, and they deserved the highest thanks. It was certain that, even under these conditions, Captain Glover's movements had contributed in no slight degree to the ultimate success of the campaign. He could not say how far those gentlemen would come within the privileged circle his noble Friend (the Duke of Richmond) spoke of. He could not say whether they were entitled to share in the prize—their case would be judged by the ordinary rules of the service—but he was afraid there was no precedent for granting them anything out of the Imperial funds; but he thought it would not be regarded as unreasonable that the colony to which they had rendered such service should be called on for a moderate allowance—he would not say by way of compensation for the dangers to which they had been exposed, but by way of compensation for losses that they had personally sustained. Her Majesty had been pleased to signify her gracious approval of the services of those officers; and as this was a convenient time, he might state the different honours which Her Majesty would confer upon them. Captain Glover would receive the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, which was the highest decoration of the colonial Order. Mr. Goldsworthy, the second in command; Captain Sartorius, who had made a ride which was now historical: Dr. Rowe, who performed services not very congenial to 1258 the medical profession; Lieutenant Barnard, and Mr. Blissett would receive the Companionship of the Order. In addition, there were honours for other officers who served on the Coast prior to Sir Garnet Wolseley's landing. Colonel Festing, C.B., had already received a Knight Companionship of the Order; and Colonel Harley. C.B., Captain Fremantle, R.N., and Major Helden would receive Companionships. All these gallant officers had worthily obtained their honours, and he hoped they might live long to enjoy them.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, he was glad to hear of these honours, and that Her Majesty's Government proposed that a portion of the gold obtained should be given as prize-money. He should further be glad if his noble Friend the Secretary for the Colonies should see his way to obtain a grant out of the funds of the colony to Captain Glover and the officers who had volunteered to serve on his expedition. He thought, however, that his noble Friend the Colonial Secretary was scarcely just to Captain Glover's forces when he spoke of them as utterly untrustworthy. Such a description applied with truth to the Fantees; but the Houssas were a very valuable body of troops. He was the more anxious that no misapprehension should exist on the point, because, without giving any opinion as to what measures might be adopted in the future, this was the native body on which probably we should have to rely. He hoped their Lordships would agree with him that it was most desirable there should be a full recognition of the services of the Houssas, and that, as regarded Captain Glover's expedition, they should be excepted from the just censure which the noble Earl had passed on the cowardly Natives who had deserted the gallant officers. "With respect to Colonel Harley, it ought to be remembered that he had been placed in a most exceptional and trying position. One could scarcely conceive a graver responsibility than that which devolved upon him during the terrible sickness from which hardly anyone escaped. Whatever opinions might be entertained as to the causes of the war, everyone would agree that Colonel Harley had performed his duties most gallantly, and that he was entitled to some recognition of his services.