§ LORD EUSTACE CECILasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to the difference of wording of Article 23, recently inserted in the Revised Warrant of the 25th of June 1881, and Article 22 of the same Warrant, which provides that General and Field Officers, exceptionally promoted for distinguished service in the Field, shall be selected for promotion on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, and that their service shall be published in the London Gazette; and, whether he proposes, in any future revision, to alter the said Article in accordance with established and constitutional precedent?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, my noble Friend's Question appears to me to be based on two misconceptions. In the first place, by Article 27, all promotions are made upon the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, approved by the Secretary of State. Secondly, Lord Cranbrook's Warrant of May, 1878, Articles 18f, 21h, and 23f, established promotions for captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels on account of distinguished service of an exceptional nature other than in the field; and the present Warrant only allows such promotions, using precisely the same words, for colonels and officers of higher rank. I presume, however, that the real suggestion of my noble Friend is that the reasons for these promotions should appear in The Gazette. Hitherto service in the field has been the only service mentioned in a Gazette, and with the object solely of doing honour to the officer; and I am disinclined to weaken the effect of these notices by extending them to promotions for other causes.
§ LORD EUSTACE CECILgave Notice that he would take an early opportunity of calling attention to the subject.