§ COLONEL H. H. FANEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the Circular of May 29, 1866, requiring Colonels of Militia "to 379 allow volunteering to the Line, "Whether the Army is still so much below its strength as to require the "reserve" to be drawn upon; and, if it be so, whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to propose any alteration in the Limited Enlistment Act?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONreplied, that the army was not below its strength; but at the time when the circular referred to by the hon. and gallant Gentleman was issued, recruiting was proceeding extremely slow, and it appeared desirable to the Commander-in-Chief and to himself that advantage should be taken of the training of the Militia, in order to invite the co-operation of the Officers. It had, however, been carefully provided that nothing should be done without the concurrence of the officers. All that was intended by the circular was to remove certain restrictions to the volunteering of the men and to the encouragement by the officers of such volunteering.
§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSONsaid, he would beg to ask the noble Marquess, whether it is not a fact that the officers of the militia have given every facility in their power as regarded volunteering into the army?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, he was happy to say that the Commander-in-Chief had assured him that the great majority of the officers commanding militia regiments had shown every anxiety to promote the object in question.