§ MR. CHAPLINasked the Secretary of State for War, On what day the Government proposed that the House should take into consideration the Message from the Crown in regard to the Militia and the Army Reserve, and whether the noble Lord had any further explanation to give of the very unusual course pursued by the Government, by which the consideration of that Message, which was put down for that evening, had been postponed for an indefinite time?
§ MR. RITCHIEsaid, that before the noble Lord answered that Question, he wished to ask whether it was proposed to embody any more regiments of Militia?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONIn reply to the hon. Member for Mid Lincolnshire (Mr. Chaplin), I may say that I do not think the hon. Gentleman was in the House when I stated, in reply to a Question from the right hon. and gallant Member for North Lancashire (Colonel Stanley), the circumstances under which the Proclamation had been issued somewhat before we were fully aware of the exact requirements of the Military Authorities. I would refer him to the answer that I gave to the right hon. and gallant Member. So far as Her Majesty's Government are concerned, we think that we shall probably be in a position to make a full statement as to the measures that are intended to be taken under the Proclamation on the day of the re-assembling of the House, on Thursday week; but as probably a good many Members will not have returned by that time, it would perhaps be more convenient to put down the further consideration of Her Majesty's Message until this day fortnight. The hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets (Mr. Ritchie) has asked whether it is intended to embody any more regiments of Militia. I think it would be more convenient to defer any answer to that Question until the general statement is made of the measures intended to be taken under the Proclamation.