§ MR. SCHREIBERsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether any portion of the Capitation Grant is at present paid to Volunteers on account for the current year; and, if not, whether, in his opinion, it will be practicable for the future to make payable yearly upon the 1st of June a portion of the said Grant, not exceeding one-half of the amount earned by each Corps of Volunteers for the year ending the 30th of November last preceding?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONIn answer to the first part of the Question of the hon. Member, I have to say that no part of the capitation grant is now paid during the current year. With reference to the latter part of the Question, I am in hopes that the course he has suggested may be rendered unnecessary by the altered mode of payment which I stated a few evenings ago that I had determined to adopt. There can be no doubt that there has been great and, in some cases, vexatious delay as regards these payments. I heard it suggested in this House that payments have been delayed two years and even longer. By the new mode of payment the efficients who are reported in December will be paid for as soon as the Estimates for the following spring are voted. The utmost delay, therefore, which can take place will be a period of six months.