§ MR. BLAKEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, What arrangements have been made with regard to the position of the Medical Officers of the late East India Company's Army on amalgamation with the Queen's Forces; whether it is still intended that the term "Service in India," used throughout the warrant of the 13th day of January, 1860, should be restricted to actual residence in India, exclusive of leave; and whether the Senior Medical Officers of Her Majesty's Indian Army will be considered entitled to promotion to the rank of Principal and Deputy Inspector General and Inspector General of Hospitals, as heretofore, or were these 856 appointments in future to be filled by the Medical Officers of Her Majesty's Royal Army?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODreplied, that the revision of the medical establishment for India awaited the Report of the Government of India, which was expected very shortly. The Royal Warrant required a service in India of twenty years, in any rank, to qualify a staff or Regimental Surgeon for the rank of Surgeon Major. The rule having been found productive of hardship in individual cases, it was determined by Her Majesty's Government that a period of two years (the period allowed under the furlough rules to count as service for pension) should be allowed to reckon as part of the period qualifying for promotion to the rank of Surgeon Major, in addition to all leave taken in India. The grades of Principal and Deputy Inspector General, and Inspector General of Hospitals were of recent date as respected the Indian service. The future organization of the medical department of that service would receive the fullest consideration.