§ MR. ANDERSONcalled attention to the proceedings of the First Lord of the Admiralty in connection with recent cases of promotion in the Royal Marines. The right hon. Gentleman had changed the whole system of the Service, having substituted promotion by favouritism for promotion by seniority, which had existed during the past 100 years. He had done this on the Report, made in January, 1878, of a Departmental Committee of the most inadequate character, and had thus sown dissension among all the officers but the few who expected to profit by the change made in the system. There were several cases of individual grievances, and the officers were generally dispirited under this system of having favourites passed over their heads. He gave Notice that next Session he would move for a Committee to inquire into the subject, unless an improvement should have taken place in the meantime.
§ MR. W. H. SMITHsaid, that the principle of promotion by seniority to important commands, without reference to the ability of the officers who might be chosen under it for vacant posts, had long been abandoned, and he was amazed to hear the views of the hon. Gentleman the Member for Glasgow on the subject. He (Mr. W. H. Smith) must decline to follow the hon. Member into the discussion of the names he had mentioned. He (Mr. W. H. Smith) had selected, according to the best of his ability, and the best information he could get from time to time, the officer who seemed to him to be most fitted for the command of the divisions, and he was prepared to accept the responsibility; and he should continue to do his duty, and, if necessary, to explain and defend in that House any action that he might take. If he was not fit to perform a duty of that kind, he was not fit to hold the position in the Government which he had the honour to fill.
§ SIR PATRICK O'BRIENmade some lengthened observations in support of the hon. Member for Glasgow (Mr. Anderson).