§ MR. BENETT-STANFORDasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is aware that very considerable discontent has been created by a recent War Office Circular in reference to the Reserve Forces, dated April 1st, 1874, Clause 40, paragraph 1, which abolishes one-third of the Officers of the Volunteer Force; and, whether he is prepared to reconsider the question of reducing the number of Officers; and that, supposing the said Clause be retained, if paragraph 2 in the said Clause could not, with great practical advantage to the Volunteer Force, be so altered that the appointment of supernumerary Subalterns should be allowed in each case when recommended through the Military Officer commanding the district to which such Volunteer corps or battalion may belong, instead of through the Lord Lieutenant of the County?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY,in reply, said, that the object of the recent War 268 Office Circular in reference to the Reserve Forces was not to abolish one-third of the number of Volunteer Officers, but to assimilate the Volunteers to the Militia, and not to require more officers for the former than the latter. But whereas in the Militia only two supernumaries per battalion were allowed, in the Volunteers one supernumerary per troop battery or company would be permitted. The recommendation of the Lord Lieutenant of the County was taken in reference to Subaltern appointments, and that of the commanding officer in reference to promotions, and he did not propose to make any change in this respect.