The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-26 00:00:00

[ PRICE 4D. STAMPED SD.

THE FAMILIES OF DECEASED
OFFICERS.

The following Royal warrant, which is about to
be issued by the War Department, to meet the case
of officers' families, so well put by Mr. Headlam in
his motion on the subject last session, will be read
with great interest both by the relatives of officers
serving in the Crimea and the public at large
" Whereas we have deemed it advisable to allow to
the widows and families, or to certain of the relatives
hereinafter specified, of officers of our army who, since
the declaration of war with Russia, have been or may
be killed in action, or who have died, or may die of
wounds received in face of the enemy within six months
after being wounded, the alternative of receiving a fixed
sum of money, in lieu of such rates of pension, and com-
passionate and other allowances as are prescribed by our
Royal warrant of the 15th of June, 1855 ; our will and
pleasure is, that this our Royal warrant, to be adminis-
tered and interpreted by our Secretary at War, shall be
the sole and standing authority upon the matters herein
contained.
" Rules and regulations for granting a fixed sum of money
in lieu of pensions, compassionate allowances, and gra-
tuities to the widows, families, and relatives of officers
killed in action, or dying of wounds in face of the
enemy, within six months after being wounded :
"1. The amount of money to be paid to a widow,
widow and children, or other relatives of an officer killed
in action, or dying of wounds received in face of the
enemy, -within six months after being wounded, shall,
whatever branch of the service he may have belonged to,
be the regulation price fixed for commissions in cavalry
and infantry of the line, as set forth in 'the following
scale, viz. :
To the Widow, Widow and
Children, Children, Fa-
ther, Mother, Sister or
Sisters of, Lient.-C01... £6,175 £4,500
Ditto Major 4,575 3,200
Ditto Captain 3,225 1,800
Ditto Lieutenant.. 1,190 700
Ditto Ensign B4O 450
but it shall in no case exceed the regulated price actually
paid by the officer for the purchase of his commission or
commissions.

Caval.

Infan.

" 2. When an officer so killed, or so dying of his
wounds within six months, shall leave a widow only,
the price thus fixed shall be paid to her for her sole and
absolute benefit, provided she be not left in such wealthy
circumstances as would otherwise preclude all claim to a
pension ; and she shall be required to give, according to
such form as may be hereafter prescribed by the Secre-
tary at War, an acknowledgment as having received such
sum in lieu of, and as a full compensation for all pension
and gratuity to whieh she may have proved herself en-
titled in consequence of the loss of her husband.
" 3. In the event of an officer leaving a widow and
children who have established a claim to the pension and
compassionate allowance, then, and in that case, the
money awarded in lieu thereof shall be invested in Go-
vernment securities, in the names of two or more trus-
tees, to be nominated by the Secretary at War for the
time being, and shall remain so invested, and the inte-
rest shall be receivable by the widow until her death,
when the money shall be divided, share and share alike,
among the children then alive of such deceased officer.
In' the event, however, of the widow surviving her said
children, the money shall then become her sole and ab-
solute property, as laid down in Article 2.
"4. In the event of an officer leaving a child or chil-
dren, but no widow, the money shall be invested, as
stated in Article 3, and the interest thereof shall be
applied by the trustees for the benefit of such child or
children until he, she, or they shall attain the age of 21,
when the money, as in the case of the widow, shall be-
come the absolute property of such surviving child or
children, share and share alike. Should, however, such
just
liabilities,l dor childrenshall
rbeevfeorr
te
te attainingth the
c retwmhe age of 21 years,
then and in that case the money, after discharging all

"5. In the event of an officer leaving, at his death,
neither widow, child, nor children, then the money shall
be paid to his father, and if he leave no father it may be
paid to hie mother, for his or her.sole and absolute bene-
fit, provided that neither be excluded by wealthy cir-
cumstances. And in the event of there being neither
father nor mother, then the money shall be paid to the
sister or sisters, as the case may be, share and share
alike, and provided they shall have attained the age of
twenty-one years. But should any sister or sisters be
under that age, then the money shall be invested, and
the interest be applied, as stated in article 4, until
such sister or sisters shall become 21 years of age,
when it shall become the absolute property of the sur-
vivor or survivors. Should no survivors or survivor
attain the age of 21 years, then the money, after 'dis-
charging all just liabilities, shall revert to the. Crown.
" 6. No grant of money under the provisions of this
warrant shall be made to the widow if she were ineligible
for a pension under the provisions of the Royal Warrant
of the 15th of June, 1855 ; but the ineligibility of the
widow to any grant under this warrant shall not affect
the interests of the legitimate children of such deceased
officer, for whose benefit the money shall be invested, as
-stated in article 4, except they be left in such wealthy
Lcircuinstances as would disqualify them for the compas-
sionate allowances under the provisions of article 2.
"7. In the event of it being represented and satisfac-
torily proved to the Secretary at War that any widow
on whose behalf money shall have been invested for the
henefit of herself and children, under the provisions of
this warrant, shall thereafter so conduct herself as to be-
come unworthy of the bounty of the Crown, or shall
neglect or ill-treat her children, then, and in that case,
the Secretary at War shall have full power to make such
arrangements for apportioning the interest of the money,
and making better provision for the children, as in his
judgment may seem most advisable.

The allowances to be granted under the authority
of this warrant are not applicable to the cases of officers
killed in action, or dying of wounds before the declara-
tion of war with Russia, but it is to take a retrospective
effect up to that date ; and. therefore, any officer's
widow to whom there may have been granted a pension,
compassionate allowances for children, or gratuity for
herself and children, or any other relative of an officer
who may have received a pension or gratuity under the
warrant of the 15th of June, 1855, who may wish to
commune such pension, allowances, or gratuities for the
sum fixed under the provisions of this warrant, shall be
permitted to do so ; but, in that case, whatever sums
may have been received by or on account of the widow
or children or other relatives will have to be deducted
from any amount paid under the terms of this warrant.

" 9. A. return of all sums paid under the provisions
of this warrant shall be laid annually before Parliament
on or after the Ist of April.
"Given at our Court at St. James's, this 23d
day of October, 1855, in the 19th year of
Our reign.
"By Her Majesty's command.
" PANM.URE."