§ MR. MACEVOYsaid, he wished to ask Under Secretary of State for War, Whether it is intended this year to take any steps to improve the position, with regard to the retirement, of those combatant Officers in the Army who were promoted from the ranks, so as to enable them to count their services in the ranks in the same manner as is now permitted to Quartermasters and Paymasters?
MR. T. G. BARINGsaid, that a Warrant had been prepared and approved by the Queen making the following alterations with respect to the number of years' service to be counted by Officers promoted from the ranks:—For retired full pay they might count fifteen years' service in the ranks added to fifteen years' service as Commissioned Officers; for half-pay on reduction from full pay one year's service on full pay as Commissioned Officers would be required, together with at least five years previous service as Non-commissioned Officers; and for permanent half-pay fifteen years' service previous to promotion, and ten years' service as Commissioned Officers.