§ MR. ARTHUR THORNHILLasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the cases of the senior Majors of the Royal Artillery, promoted to that rank before the 1st of October 1877, had been on several occasions submitted by the Military authorities, with a view to an increased and special rate of pension being offered them, and having in view the fact that a corresponding number of junior Majors are now being compulsorily retired on completing seven years' service, and that an increase sufficient probably to induce such senior Majors to retire would represent in the aggregate a very small sum; and, whether the cases of these few Officers, who, as regards promotion, are much behind the Officers of the same length of service in other Regiments, will be again considered, with a view to a special and exceptional rate being offered to them?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThe case of the majors of Artillery referred to in the Question has been fully considered. Only nine are left, and they have so immediate a prospect of becoming lieutenant colonels, with many collateral advantages, that it is unlikely they would accept retirement unless great inducements were offered. The majors junior to them are removed after seven years' service in the rank; but they have the option of going to half-pay as lieutenant colonels, in which case they would probably be re-employed regimentally as lieutenant colonels on vacancies arising. The same thing happens in other arms of the Service. It is true that the majors referred to have longer service than corresponding ranks in other arms.