§ LORD HOTHAMsaid, he had the other day asked the Under Secretary for War in what manner the Government intended to deal with those officers who were to be taken from the active list in consequence of the termination of the war. The hon. Gentleman then stated that the Minister of War had every desire to bring those officers back into the service as opportunity might offer, and he entertained a confident expectation that no long time would elapse before they would be absorbed into the service. Since that statement was made he had received numerous communications upon this matter, which 1736 naturally excited great interest among the officers and the families of the officers who were likely to be included in the reduction. If it were possible, he should be very glad for no practical reduction to take place, but he would not shock the susceptibility of the Chancellor of the Exchequer by such a proposition. It appeared, then, that a reduction must take place, and the only question was, in what manner such reduction should be made. It was desirable that that reduction should be carried out with the least amount of individual hardship. A plan had been put forward in the public journals, the merit of which was that the reduction would be confined to the lowest class of officers in the regiments—that was, the ensigns. The great advantages of such a plan was, that those officers who had the larger amount of experience would be retained in the service. He hoped, at all events, that an opportunity would be given to the lieutenants to continue with the regiments in which they served upon ensigns' pay, if they pleased to do so. To those who were acquainted with the military service it was very well known that there was no such difference in the duties of ensigns and lieutenants as could raise any difficulty against the adoption of this plan; but to those who were not acquainted with military matters it was necessary to state that in every regiment there were five classes of officers from the lieutenant colonel downwards. Practically, however, the duties of the officers were confined to three classes—namely, the field officers, the captains, and the subalterns. Consequently, there was no duty of an ensign which a lieutenant could not perform, and no objection to the proposed plan could be offered on that ground. He would, therefore, ask the Under Secretary for War to explain in what manner it was proposed to carry into effect the intended reduction of officers in those regiments whose establishments were increased in consequence of the late war?
§ MR. FREDERICK PEELsaid, whatever might be the hardship occasioned by the reduction, it appeared to him that nothing could be clearer than the course the Government were bound to take. In the regiments placed on the war establishment there were sixteen companies, and in each regiment there were twenty-six lieutenants and fourteen ensigns. On the peace establishment there were twelve companies, and in each regiment there were fourteen lieutenants and ten ensigns; consequently, 1737 there would be reduced twelve lieutenants and four ensigns in each. The junior officers in each grade would be reduced. There could be no doubt that the senior officers had the right of preference. He did not think that the suggestion of the noble Lord could be carried out to its extent, inasmuch as the proposed plan would not reach the captains. As far as he was informed, there was no intention of adopting the course alluded to. The ensigncies would, no doubt, shortly be absorbed, as vacancies arose. It would be hard to postpone the promotion of the ensigns by filling all those vacancies from the half-pay lieutenants' list. Perhaps a satisfactory settlement of the matter might be arrived at by filling up the vacancies, alternately, from the ensigns and from the half-pay lists.