§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked the Secretary of State for War, If he would explain the circumstances under which the senior Lieutenant of the 82nd Regiment (Lieutenant Maunsell, an officer of long service and specially commended for behaviour in the field) was by purchase promoted in 1866 over on promotion without purchase of Captain Richardson to half-pay, seeing that the senior Captain (Captain Jarvis) was without purchase promoted to the Majority on promotion of Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Thompson, promoted as in the case of Captain Richardson?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThis promotion took place 19 years ago, under the purchase system, which became obsolete 14 years ago. The promotions referred to had reference to certain large reductions which were made in 1866 in the number of captains in regiments at home. To mitigate the hardship of placing so many captains on half-pay a certain number of promotions were granted without purchase to half-pay majorities and lieutenant colonelcies. As the rank reduced was that of captain and these promotions were in aid of the reduction, no subaltern could claim successional promotion without purchase. Some of the half-pay majorities were, however, given to officers serving abroad, as in the 82nd Foot, and in those instances it was necessary to fill up the captain's vacancy. The usual course in such a case would have been to hare brought in a supernumerary captain from another regiment; but as this was found to involve much hardship on the officers transferred, the Secretary of State decided that the vacancy should go in the regiment by purchase (as the Royal Warrant fully authorized); the commission being sold for the benefit of the Military Reserve Fund. As that fund was used in buying out half-pay it 1108 was virtually in aid of the reduction then taking effect.