COLONEL GILPINsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether, in consequence of the effects of amalgamation upon the prospects of a considerable number of Officers in India, many of whom had rendered good service to the State, and who have already lost the money paid for their promotion on the faith of a General Order of the Court of Directors, dated May 1858, and who are now receiving Indian pay and allowances for doing comparatively nothing, these Officers or any of them, will be allowed the option (in accordance with the recommendation of the Commissioners) of retiring upon a moderate bonus?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, the hon. and gallant Gentleman was probably aware that an offer had been made on the part of the Government to a number of officers of the late Indian armies of the ranks of Lieutenant-Colonel, Major, and Captain, that they should be entitled to retire, if they should think it desirable, on very liberal terms. A smaller number of officers accepted the offer than it extended to. Besides this, a bonus had been offered to all officers entitled to do so, and beyond this he did not think the Government would be justified in making any further concession.