MR. WHITEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, What duties formerly carried on by the 318 Departments at present placed under the Control system are now performed by the Royal Engineers; and, if it be the case that those duties are satisfactorily performed, and have entailed no increase in the superintending staff of that Department, what reduction has been made, in consequence of those diminished duties, in the number of officials under the consolidated system of the new Control Department?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, at present the custody of the fabric of barracks, the handing them over to troops and receiving them back again, assessing damages to the fabric, and the working of fixed machinery are in the hands of the Royal Engineers. A transfer of fifty-one subordinates occurred when these duties were handed over. The superintending staff of one Department has not been increased, nor that of the others diminished, in consequence of this arrangement. It is proposed to take back to the Control Department the custody of barracks, and the handing them over to the troops.