§ MR. HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that 1874 it is the intention of the Government to reduce the period that the command of a regiment may be held from five to four years, or after four years' service as a major to only two years; whether he is aware that the late lamentable disasters in the Transvaal are alleged to have been chiefly attributable to the manner in which young and inexperienced Staff Officers took the command of the troops out of the hands of the responsible regimental officers, and hurried the men on at critical moments; and, whether it is proposed to apply the new rule as to regimental commands to officers on their first and second appointment on the Staff of the Horse Guards and the Army generally?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, I do not see the connection between the second part of my hon. Friend's Question and the first and third. A great many reasons, some not improbable, and some palpably absurd, have been given for our recent reverses in South Africa; but the only instance in which blame has been attributed in certain quarters to the interference of a Staff officer was in the instance of a colonel of about 27 years' service. I do not think that I could with advantage explain in detail what is proposed and will appear in the Warrant as to the length of a lieutenant-colonel's service; but, speaking generally, it will be from four to six years, and that of a major will be seven years, as now.