§ MAJOR O'BEIRNEasked the Secretary of State for War, If it is contemplated to remedy the grievance that Irish Officers in Her Majesty's Service are subject to by being practically excluded from holding the appointment of either Adjutant of Volunteers or of Yeomanry, such appointments being obtainable only by Officers having local connection or county influence and interest in those portions of the United Kingdom where such corps exist?
§ COLONEL STANLEYI do not admit that there is any grievance, nor is it the fact that these appointments are obtainable only by officers having local connection or county influence and interest. Adjutants of Volunteers are selected from the general list of candidates for these appointments, due consideration being given—1, to their relative qualifications, and to the time they have been noted; 2, to the wish of the commanding officer, if he can show any special reasons for recommending any particular officer; 3, to the fact of whether they belong to the same sub-district as the Volunteer corps. All captains of Cavalry are eligible for Yeomanry Adjutants, and the same considerations prevail in their selection as with Volunteers, except that there is no sub-district connection between Cavalry and Yeomanry regiments. Irish officers have the same chances, and are treated in exactly the same manner as English and Scotch officers in the consideration of their claims. An officer's nationality never has been—and, I trust, never will be—allowed to influence his selection for an appointment in the military service.