MR. LESLIEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Upon what grounds the Royal Warrant for Her Majesty's Indian Medical Service has been be long delayed, and when the Warrant will be issued?
§ SIR CHARLES WOOD, in reply, said, the hope had been entertained for a long time that a medical service common to the Queen's Army and to that of India might be established. It was only last autumn the Indian Council learnt that the War Office considered such a service incompatible with the requirements of the Royal Army; and separate provision had, therefore, to be made. He was naturally anxious to give to India the benefit of the improved education in sanitary matters which was now bestowed upon the Officers of the Queen's Army, and a Warrant was prepared with that design. It was, however, uncertain whether the scheme could be carried out without infringing some of the clauses of an Act of Parliament, and the matter had consequently been referred for the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown. Until they reported, nothing further could be done.