§ MR. MITCHELL HENRYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he hopes shortly to introduce a plan to remedy the block of promotion in the Medical Service of the Army; and, whether, with the object of quickening retirement, he will consider the propriety of allowing Surgeons of twenty years' standing to leave the Army with the same advantages as now accrue to them from twenty-five years' service, on condition of their joining the Militia or the Reserve in their medical capacity?
§ MR. CARDWELLreplied that it was true a large number of surgeons joined the Army in the years 1857 and 1858. It was possible that by-and-by it might be necessary to consider the necessity of making some arrangement with regard to the promotion of those officers, but he was not prepared to enter into any engagement on the subject.