SIR JOHN HAYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, in the event of purchase being done away with, Government is prepared to pay those Colonels who have become General Officers under the present system the sums expended by them in the purchase of their commissions; will any compensation be given to General Officers who have purchased their half-pay, so as to place them on an equal footing with Colonels who will obtain the rank of Major General after the passing of this Act without such purchase; and if the honorary Colonelcies are abolished, what pecuniary compensation will be awarded to those General Officers who in the natural course of events under the present system would have obtained such honorary colonelcies?
§ MR. CARDWELLsaid, in reply, that the Army Regulation Bill did not affect colonels who had become generals under the present system, and provided no compensation for them with regard to the honorary colonelcies, and he had already stated that when this subject was dealt with the interests of the honorary colonels would have to be considered.