§ MR. CALLANasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether Brigadier General Sir Evelyn Wood was seconded as Lieutenant Colonel of the 90th Light Infantry, on appointment to the Staff, in accordance with the Royal Warrant; and, if not, what is the reason that such course was not taken?
§ COLONEL STANLEY,in reply, said, that on the 20th of April last, Lord Chelmsford reported the appointment of Sir Evelyn Wood to be brigadier general, local rank being conferred upon him by Sir Bartle Frere under his powers as Lord High Commissioner. Brigadier General Wood was not seconded as Lieutenant Colonel of the 90th Regiment, as it was not customary to second officers of the rank of lieutenant colonel, the local rank of brigadier general having been conferred under the powers given to the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa by Article 155 of the Royal Warrant. A lieutenant colonel was not seconded when appointed to the Staff, but was placed on half pay; but as the appointment of brigadier general was local and temporary, and not in exchange for a Staff appointment of five years, it seemed to the military authorities that it would be hard to deprive General Wood of his regimental position.