§ MAJOR NOLANasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, since it is the intention of the Government to antedate the commissions of officers junior to the Lieutenant Colonels commanding regiments of Cavalry and Infantry who, subject to retirement after five years' command, are, under certain circumstances, retained in command beyond that period, what steps the Government proposes to take to mitigate the severity which the new Retirement Scheme and the prolongation of the Lieutenant Colonels' commands inflict on junior officers in the case of regiments where the Lieutenant Colonel was appointed before the 13th of October 1871, and can consequently remain as long as they please or till removed by death or promotion to General Officer's rank, thus blocking promotion for years, and causing the compulsory retirement of officer after officer?
§ COLONEL STANLEY, in reply, said, the hon. and gallant Member was under a misapprehension in assuming that he 856 had given any definite promise with regard to the subject referred to in the Question. It was rather a complicated one; and he could not say positively at that moment what steps the Government might take to remedy defects in the present retirement scheme; but they would not lose sight of the matter.