Admiralty Order in Council No. 49.

9th October 1903.

G.H.

Whereas Your Majesty was graciously pleased by Your Order in Council dated the 269i September 1901 to establish regulations for the grant from Naval Funds of Pensions and Allowances to widows and children of non-commissioned officers, petty officers, and men of the Royal Navy and Marines and of the Reserve Forces whose deaths are attributable to warlike operations ;

And whereas the Pensions which may be granted under such regulations are at higher rates than the Pensions which are granted from the funds of Greenwich Hospital to the widows of Seamen, Marines, and other seafaring persons who are killed or drowned on duty in the service of the Crown (other than warlike operations), or on lifeboat service, under authority of an Order in Council of Her late Majesty bearing date the 12th December 1883 ;

And whereas we deem it advisable that these Pensions and Allowances shall be granted according to an uniform scale ;

We beg leave humbly to recommend that Your Majesty may be graciously pleased by Your Order in Council to sanction the Pensions which are now granted from the funds of Greenwich Hospital being supplemented from Naval Funds to the extent which may be necessary to raise them as from the 1st July 1903 to the scale sanctioned by Your Majesty's aforesaid Order in Council of the 26th September 1901.

The Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury have expressed their concurrence in this proposal.

We further beg leave humbly to recommend that Your Majesty may be graciously pleased to approve of the regulations for the grant of Pensions and Allowances from the funds of Greenwich Hospital which are annexed hereto being substituted for those now in force.

Regulations for the Grant of Pensions to Widows, and Allowances to Children, and of Gratuities to Parents and other Relatives of Seamen, Marines, and other Seafaring Persons.

1. Under the 2nd section of Act 46 & 47 Vict. cap. 32, Pensions and Allowances are granted by the Admiralty out of the Funds of Greenwich Hospital to Widows and Children of—
1. Non-commissioned officers and petty officers and men of the Royal Navy and Marines killed or drowned in the service of the Crown, or on life-boat service ; and of
2. Men of the Royal Naval Volunteers (i.e., Royal Naval Reserve) killed or drowned in the service of the Crown ; and of
3. Men killed or drowned in the service of the Crown while serving in the Seamen Pensioners' Reserve ; and of
4. Men of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteer Force killed or drowned in the service of the Crown.
2. These Pensions and Allowances are granted also to Widows and Children of non-commissioned officers, petty officers or men as aforesaid who die from the effects of any injury or disease when it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Admiralty —
1. That the injury or disease was caused by accident on duty in the service of the Crown, and that the man died therefrom within two years ; or
2. That the injury or disease was caused by extraordinary exposure or exertion on duty in the service of the Crown, and that it terminated fatally within two years of being first certified.
3. Pension or Allowance will not be granted when death has been due to a man's own culpable action or negligence, or when the Widow was not legally married to the man before the receipt of the injury or before the disease was contracted.
4. The Pensions are supplemented from Naval Funds, and awards are made according to the following scale : —

Scale of Pensions and Allowances,

Rating.	Widow's Pension per Week.						Allowance for each Child dependent on the Mother per Week.
	From the Funds of Greenwich Hospital.		Supplementary Pension from Naval Funds.		Total.
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
(1) Able seamen and other persons in the same category, including Marines and Marine Artillery.	3	6	1	6	5	0	1	6
(2) 2nd class petty officers, corporals of Marines and Marine Artillery.	4	0	2	0	6	0	1	6
(3) 1st class petty officers, sergeants of Marines and Marine Artillery.	4	6	3	0	7	6	2	0
(4) Chief petty officers, colour and staff sergeants of the Marines and Marine Artillery.	5	0	4	0	9	0	2	0

Rates in excess of the foregoing scale may, at the discretion of the Admiralty, be awarded in cases needing special relief.

5. If a Widow re-marry, her Pension will cease, and she will be eligible to receive a Gratuity equal to one year's Pension in full discharge of all claims upon the public bounty. Allowances to Children may be continued.
6. Pensions and Allowances are tenable subject to good behaviour, and are granted at the discretion of the Admiralty. They cannot be claimed as a right. Any assignment, sale or contract relating to a Pension or Allowance is void.
7. If a Mother die, or Children be removed from a Mother's control on account of her misconduct (see paragraph 6), the allowances in respect of the Children may be paid at twice the normal rates {see paragraph 4) ; or provision may be made for the maintenance of the Children in a benevolent institution.
8. If a Widow be in receipt of parish relief, in respect either of herself or her family, the payment of 'the Pension and Allowance may be suspended. In no case will the Pension or Allowance be paid to the parish authorities.
9. Widows will be required to make a declaration quarterly or whenever it may be considered necessary, before a duly authorised person, as to their continued widowhood. and of any particulars required in reference to their families. {Forms for this purpose will be supplied,)
10. Boys above 14 and girls above 16 will, as a rule, be ineligible for Allowances.
11. If the claim of a Widow to a Pension be not established before her death, the amount of the Pension to which she would have been entitled if living will not be allowed to her representatives.
12. These regulations apply only from the 1st July 1903.
13. In the event of men specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 not leaving Widows or Children, but leaving Parents or other Relatives dependent upon them, Gratuities not exceeding one year's full wages may be given at the discretion of the Admiralty to such Parents or Relatives, provided the total expenditure in such Gratuities shall not exceed in any one year the sum of Five hundred pounds.

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