§ SIR HENRY HAVELOCKasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the case that many men of the Army Reserve, trained soldiers, were willing to have volunteered to serve at the Cape, to fill up the regiments now embarking for foreign service, if permitted to do so; and, what objection there is to men of that reserve being allowed so to serve if willing to do so?
§ COLONEL STANLEYSir, as a matter of fact, I am not aware that any men of 1604 the Army Reserve have volunteered for service at the Cape, although I have no doubt, from all that I have heard, they would be very ready to do so if an opportunity were given. With regard to the second Question, I must speak with some reservation; but, as I am advised at present, the men who have joined the Army Reserve are covered by the Statute Law of 1867, under which they are allowed to serve upon two conditions—first, a Proclamation under section 10 in case of a national emergency; and, secondly, by volunteering for duty. Under the first condition they can serve for six months after the emergency is over; but under the second—which would be the one applicable to the Question of my hon. and gallant Friend —they can only serve for six months from the date of volunteering for service; and I do not think, under the circumstances, that it would be worth while to accept them for short a time.