§ LORD ALGERNON PERCY (St. George's, Hanover Square)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will relax the present regulations regarding the compulsory retirement at the age of forty-eight of Majors in the 1626 Army who joined the Service from the Militia after the age of twenty, and will raise the age of their retirement to fifty, as is the case with purchase Captains?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN) (&c.) Stirling,I am afraid I cannot hold out any hope of this particular suggestion being adopted; because in a system of compulsory retirement the Rules applied to one rank may have so serious an effect on other ranks that the greatest caution is necessary in making changes, and I should hesitate to deal with the subject in a fragmentary manner.