COLONEL LOYD LINDSAY, presuming that during the first period of the Autumn Military Manœuvres the several Divisions will be left to themselves to drill and work independently, and that the latter period only will be devoted to combined movements, asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, in the event of Volunteer Regiments not being deemed sufficiently advanced to take part in the latter period, they will be allowed to be present during the first period of the manœuvres, and if so permitted to be present during those first eight days, whether such Volunteer Corps who can arrange to attend as complete regiments will be granted priority in their applications over other corps who can only form consolidated battalions by amalgamating together?
§ MR. CARDWELLThe arrangement, Sir, is that, except in the case of the Wiltshire Volunteers, no corps will be accepted for a shorter period than 15 days. With respect to priority, there is a manifest advantage in accepting corps which can undertake to come out as complete corps of 400 strong; but it is necessary, also, to consider the claims of corps which did not obtain the advantage last year before deciding to accept any which did. In the meantime, the hon. and gallant Gentleman's corps having been out last year, and having only offered to come out for eight days this year, an inquiry has been addressed to them to ascertain whether they will undertake, if there shall be room for them, consistently with the claims of others, to come out for the 15 days. If they answer in the affirmative, their claims will be duly considered.