The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-01 00:00:00

THE THIRD BRIGADE AT ALDERSHOII7.

Mr. SIMONDS asked the Secretary of State for War if it
was intended to re-establish the Third Brigade of Infantry
at Aldershot, which had been broken up during the winter
months ; and, if not, whether the brigade-major was not
entitled to some consideration, seeing that the necessary
expenditure of such officer entailed upon him a loss in
amount of more than his regimental pay and staff allow-

maces.
Captain VIVIAN said it was intended to establish such a
brigade at Aldershott during the summer months.
THE INDIAN NAVY.
Mr. ABEL SMITH asked the Under Secretary of State
for India whether, according to the scheme for compen-
sating the officers of the Indian Navy for the loss of their
Professional prospects on the abolition of that service,
there was anything against Capti.in Hamilton's character
as an officer or a gentleman to justify the placing him on
only the same amount of compensation or pension, viz.,
£4OO per annum, as that allotted to junior commanders,
Captain Hamilton being guaranteed £240 per annum more
Pay, and 2170 per annum more pension, and having served
in India eight years longer than those officers.
Mr. G. DUFF said when the captains of the old Indian
navy retired they had the option of two choices ; and
that, of course, had been offered to Captain Hamilton.
That gallant officer had been compelled to accept nothing
but the difficult duty of choosing one of two good things
which had been forced upon him. A correspondence had
taken pla,ce between Capt. Hamilton and the India Office on
the subject, and it resulted in his withdrawing the whole
of his charges and accepting the pension of £450, with suc-
cession to the seniority list. Capt. Hamilton had not been
guaranteed one farthing which he had not received.
FACTORY ACT EXTENSION.
Mr. SAMUELSON asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department whether he would introduce a measure
for prolonging any of the temporary modifications of the
Factory Acts Extension Acts of 1867, and more especially
those relating to the hours of labour of male young persons
over the age of 16 in healthy employments, which modifi-
cations will cease to be in force after the 30th June in
the present year unless the time be extended by further
legislation.
Mr. BRUCE said he was sorry he would not promise
to introduce any bill on the subject during the present
Session.

INDIAN PENSIONS.
Colonel SIKES asked the Under Secretary of State for
India whether he would lay upon the table a return of all
applications from pensioners for the commutation of their
pensions payable from the revenues of India in England
since the passing of the India Act in August 1868 ; the
cases of refusal and the reasons for refusal ; and, the
names of persons who, having had their pensions com-
muted, afterwards asked for a compassionate allow-
ance.

Mr. DUFF said it would be undesirable to give the return
referred to. •

CHINESE MATTERS.

Colonel SYKES asked the Under Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office was in posses-
sion of a note of seven paragraphs on Chinese matters, by
Robert Hart, Esq., Director General of Imperial Customs,
dated Pekin, 30th June, 1869, and the reply to Mr. Hart's
" Notes " by the ex American Minister to Pekin, the
Hon. Ross Brown ; and whether he would communicate
the same to the House.

Mr. OTWAY said there was no such official document in
the Foreign Office. One of the officials had seen the docu-
ment in a Chinese newspaper, but that was not sufficient
to justify the producing it as an official document.
THE BRIGADE OF GUARDS.
Lord G. HAMILTON asked the Secretary of State for
War if he had any objection to lay upon the table of the
House the correspondence between the War Office and
Colonels Harding and Stephenson, relative to the reduc-
tion of the field officers of the brigade of Guards. • •
Captain VIVIAN said there would be no objection to
produce the return.
DISCHARGED PENSIONERS.
Colonel BERESFORD asked the Secretary of State for
War if it was true that an order had been issued from the
War OLce to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, recalling a
number of discharged men (pensioners) to return to the
Arsenal, and to resume work at a reduced time and pay,
or forfeit their pensions ; and whether the Government,
taking into consideration the large number of unemployed
men and the great distress prevailing at the present time
in Woolwich, would make the order optional instead of
compulsory.

Captain VIVIAN said that when orders, unfortunately,
had to be given for the discharge of hands, regard was
always bad for those who had the greatest claim by length
of service. No proposal was ever made to the hands to do
the same amount of work as was usual, at reduced wages.