LORD STANLEYsaid, he wished to ask the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for India, Whether first appointments to Indian regiments will be made by open competition, or by competition among nominated candidates, or by simple nomination; and, in the latter case, with what department the right of recommending for nomination is to rest?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, that in order to prevent misapprehension he must first observe that there would not hereafter be any Indian regiments. All regiments would, in the end, be for general service, and take their tour of duty in any part of the world. In the regiments, however, which were to be formed from the Indian local service, the system of purchase which prevailed in the English Army was not to be allowed. The whole question of the mode of admission to the British Army was now under the consideration of the Government, and he was not then in a position to answer the question of his noble Friend; but in any arrangement care would be taken to secure to the sons of officers who had served in India the appointments reserved to them under the recent Acts of Parliament.