COLONEL BERESFORDasked the Secretary of State for War, If it be the case that Officers who exchanged from purchase Regiments prior to the 1st day of November 1871 into either of twelve new Line regiments forfeited thereby the regulation value of their Commissions; and, if so, by what rule or regulation they did so; and, whether they were warned at the time of exchanging that such forfeiture would be the consequence?
MR. GATHORNE HARDYSir, officers who exchanged from Purchase corps into either of the 12 new Line regiments ought to have been fully aware of the nature of such an exchange, as the Regulation on the subject is as follows (extract from Article 65 of the Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion of the 27th of December, 1870):—
An officer exchanging from a Purchase regiment into a non-Purchase regiment shall put into abeyance those rights of sale which he may have acquired by purchase or service, and those rights shall not be revived unless he again exchanges to a Purchase regiment.