§ LORD ELCHOasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is in a position to state generally what instructions have been given to the Army Committee?
§ COLONEL STANLEYSir, I do not think it would be convenient to state the instructions to a Departmental Committee which is still sitting; but, speaking generally, I may say what the general tenour of the instructions to the Departmental Committee on the Army is. The Committee has been assembled in order that by their advice steps may be taken to remedy the practical defects which are found to occur in Lord Cardwell's scheme; but there is no intention to depart from the general principles of reorganization which have been accepted since 1870. We propose to refer to the Committee all the Reports of the Localization Committee of 1871–2, and the Reports of the Militia Committee of 1876, as well as those of the various subsidiary Committees connected with recruiting, enlistment, and so forth, and 435 also to put certain questions connected with non-commissioned officers, and other analogous questions.