§ MR. J. G. HUBBARD (for MR. E. HUBBARD)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been drawn to a letter written by the Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Bucks Yeomanry on January 1st, 1876, to the Inspector of Auxiliary Cavalry, acknowledging the letter of the War Office 0070 734, 420 which not only ordered the guns attached to the Regiment to be returned to store, but disbanded the men and Serjeants of the two troops of Artillery themselves; and, whether, in view of the testimony of the Commanding Officer to the efficiency of these two Troops as Yeomen, and to the great sacrifice of time and money made by both officers and men in learning the additional duties of artillerymen, he would think it right to accept the offer of their continued service in the Regiment as Light Cavalry, with some acknowledgment of the services they have already rendered?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply,said, his attention was drawn to the letter in question, which was duly replied to. In communicating to the Officer Commanding the Bucks Yeomanry on the 15th December, 1875, that the two Artillery troops could no longer be permitted to form part of the establishment of the regiment, and that they must be disbanded; it was not the intention that these troops should be necessarily disbanded in the literal sense, but that they should be discontinued as Artillery and their guns withdrawn, the troops remaining in the regiment as Cavalry, and retaining with their officers their regimental positions. This was subsequently explained to the Officer Commanding by letter dated the 26th of January last. The services rendered by the Artillery troops and their efficiency were fully appreciated, and an expression of the appreciation of Her Majesty's Government of their efficiency was made to the Officer Commanding on the 15th December last.