§ SIR CHARLES WINGFIELDasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Why Officers of the Royal Horse Artillery have been refused compensation for the pecuniary loss sustained by them on account of horses, tents, and equipments (which they are compelled by regulation to keep up), in consequence of their being ordered to England in March 1871, at a few weeks' notice, on a reduction of the Indian establishment, compensation having been given to the Officers of the 7th and 19th Hussars ordered home in the previous year under circumstances which the late Governor 969 General pronounced to be substantially the same?
MR. GRANT DUFF, in reply, said, the case of the Hussars was different from that of the Artillery. The former had to leave at unusually short notice; and the Government determined—first, that in their very exceptional case, the ordinary rules of the service might properly be set aside; and, secondly, that the indulgence accorded to them should not be allowed to form a precedent. Of the five batteries, none had less, some had more, than a fortnight to make their preparations, whereas the 7th Hussars had only about 48 hours.