§ COLONEL C. LINDSAYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether it is true that a Cavalry Regiment—namely, the 15th Hussars—embarked for India on the 14th November 1869, to relieve the 2nd Dragoons, then on its way to England, and that in January two other Cavalry Regiments, whose time for foreign service had not expired, were recalled by telegram, without relief; and, if so, why was the great expense of moving three Regiments incurred, when the same result would have been gained by simply recalling one Regiment from India without relief?
MR. GRANT DUFFIn reply, Sir, to the hon. and gallant Member, I have to say, that the 15th Hussars did embark on the day mentioned, no decision having been arrived at before that date with regard to the proposition of the Government of India to reduce the cavalry force in that country. The two regiments to which the hon. and gallant Member alludes had been longer than usual in India; indeed, one of them—the 19th 882 Hussars—having been formed from the local Bengal Cavalry, had never been at home at all. The other—the 7th Hussars—had been out in India thirteen rears, ten years being the ordinary time.
§ MR. BIDDULPHsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether, in consequence of the 7th and 19th Hussars being recalled by telegraph in such haste as to give only four days for the Officers to dispose of their horses, camp equipage, &c., which they are bound by regulation to keep complete, the Indian Government, who will save a sum of upwards of £100,000 by the recall of those two Regiments without relief, will take into consideration the propriety of compensating the Officers for the loss so inflicted upon them?
MR. GRANT DUFFIn reply to my hon. Friend, I have to say that any recommendation made by the Government of India with regard to the propriety of compensating the officers in whom he is interested will receive most careful consideration.