§ SIR HENRY STRACEYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for War if a Colonel on full pay of Cavalry, on becoming a General, and thereby being precluded from selling and receiving the same pay as the Colonel promoted from Infantry, but having paid £1,675 for his Commissions above that paid by the Infantry General, would still have to pay the difference between Infantry and Cavalry, if appointed to a Cavalry Regiment?
§ MR. SIDNEY HERBERTsaid, he feared the House would not derive much information from these questions on the relative prices of Commissions. The subject was very intricate, and it was difficult to render it intelligible. An Officer in the position described by the question of the hon. Baronet, would not (we understood) be called on to pay the difference.
COLONEL DICKSONsaid, he would also beg to ask, Whether, as it is proposed to equalize the prices of Cavalry and Infantry Commissions, Cavalry Officers who have in accordance with existing regulations, paid the larger sums, will receive credit for the extra money when purchasing their future promotion; for instance, will a Cornet, who has paid £840 for his Cornetcy have, to pay £250 more for a Lieutenantcy, worth only £700?
§ MR. SIDNEY HERBERT, in reply, stated that Officers of Cavalry would not be entitled to receive anything of the Crown till they sold out. On selling their Commissions they would, of course, receive back the difference.