§ MR. MALCOLMsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the fact that a Captain of a Line Regiment is now allowed to retire from the Army by the sale of his commission only on the condition of his signing an agreement to allow the War Office to retain for an indefinite period, and without interest, the sum of £450. which he was obliged by the Queen's Regulations to pay for his Ensign's commission?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, by the terms of the Warrant an officer retiring by the sale of his commission is not entitled to receive the price until the arrangements for filling the vacancy are sufficiently complete to allow the payments to be made. In the present case where, in consequence of the reductions, no ensign succeeds, the £450 will be paid from public funds, and the Secretary of State will not have those funds at his command until Parliament shall have passed the Vote.