§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is contemplated to allow regimental paymasters who still hold their former commissions as combatant officers of captain, lieutenant, or ensign, to sell the same either now or on retirement, so as to put them on an equality with combatant officers who had gone to the control department, and who have been permitted to receive the full value of their commissions; and, if not, whether he would state to the House the grounds on which they would not be allowed to sell their commissions?
§ MR. CARDWELLAs I repeatedly stated last year, every officer who held a saleable commission was indemnified by the Army Regulation Act. The terms on which the Control officers referred to entered that service were, that if they sold their commissions they lost their right to count previous service towards retirement. Paymasters were entitled to count their previous service, but not to sell their commissions.