§ MR. CONINGHAMsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for War, Why the Royal Warrant, dated 28th March 1861, which prescribes twenty-five years as a necessary preliminary to the privilege of retiring on half-pay, was departed from in the case of Lieutenant Colonel the Honourable Richard Charteris, who was on the personal staff of the Commander-in-Chief, and who only completed his twenty-one years of service in October 1861; also, for what, reason a similar indulgence has been refused to other Officers of the Army?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, in reply, that Colonel Charteris had not retired under the warrant of March 1861. He had exchanged with an officer on the half pay list, in accordance with a regulation which he (Sir G. Lewis) understood had been rarely refused to be applied in the case of officers who were recommended by the Commander-in-Chief. Any officer who had served twenty-five years might claim to go on the half-pay list without any exchange.
§ MR. CONINGHAMsaid, the hon. Baronet had not answered the latter part of the question.
SIR GRORGE LEWISsaid, he was not aware of any case of refusal. If the 1607 hon. Gentleman would mention any such case he would undertake to make inquiry into it.