SIR HENRY FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the Regulations in regard to the examination of Surgeons Major for promotion to the rank of Brigade Surgeon, as laid down in Army Circular, dated 1st November, 1884, Is there any precedent for examining officers ranking as Lieut.-Colonels of six years' standing, and is it proposed to extend these examinations to the other scientific branches of the Army, and examine Lieut.-Colonels of Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery before promotion to the rank of Colonel; is it the fact that several of the senior Surgeons Major are over fifty years of age, and is it the case that H.R.H. the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, when giving evidence before Lord Morley's Committee, expressed an opinion against subjecting such old officers for examination; and, by whose recommendation were these examinations instituted?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThere are several Surgeons Major over 60 years of age, who, before being promoted to the rank of Brigade Surgeon, will be required to undergo examination. It is the case that His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, in his evidence before Lord Morley's Committee, expressed an opinion adverse to the examinations of officers so advanced in life; but after full consideration of the difficulty of selecting officers for the rank of Brigade Surgeon the examinations were determined on at the suggestion of the Director General. There is probably no precedence for the examination of officers of similar rank in the service; but then there is probably no case in which the grounds of selection for promotion are so difficult to arrive at. There is no intention to propose the extension of the system of examination to the corresponding combatant ranks.