HC Deb 01 March 1870 vol 199 c993
MR. STACPOOLE

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is prepared to apply to the Army serving in the United Kingdom and the Colonies regulations as to the wearing of boards similar to those now in operation in the Navy and Royal Marines, and recently issued in the case of Her Majesty's Regiments in India?

CAPTAIN VIVIAN

said, in the absence of his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, he had to state that, in consequence of the recommendation of Sir William Mansfield, the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief had sanctioned, on sanitary grounds, the wearing of beards by the troops in India. On the same grounds his Royal Highness would be prepared to give a similar permission to troops in the Colonies, or elsewhere; but his Royal Highness saw no reason why this permission should be made general.