HC Deb 21 March 1879 vol 244 cc1434-5
LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

asked the Secretary of State for War, If it is true that an officer has been appointed Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General at Headquarters who has not passed through the Staff College, and if this appointment is not one of those to which, under the Queen's Regulations, the Staff College officers have a prior claim; and, if he will state the reason why, in this case, the Queen's Regulations have been again evaded?

COLONEL STANLEY

, in reply, said, as a matter of fact it was not the case that the appointment of Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General at head-quarters, held by Major Butler, had been filled up; but an officer had been appointed to act in his place while he was absent on active service. But even if the appointment had been made, having examined the Regulations, he was not prepared to say that such a course would have been contrary to the rules laid down, and, therefore, there had been in this case no evasion of the Regulations. If he had chosen to answer the noble Lord's Question in the form in which it had been put, he might have given another answer, because the officer appointed was a man of proved ability; and he contended, neither as regarded the letter nor spirit, had the law been violated. Major Furse served with the 42nd Highlanders in the campaign of 1857–8 against the mutineers in India, including the actions of Kudygunge and Shumsabad, siege and fall of Lucknow, and assault of the Martiniére and Banks' Bungalow, attack on the fort of Rooyah, action at Allygunge, attack and capture of Bareilly (medal, with clasp). Accompanied Sir Garnet Wolseley to the Gold Coast in September, 1873, on special service, and served throughout the Ashantee War in 1873–4. Employed at first on a recruiting mission' in the settlements of the Gambia, afterwards in charge of the advanced party of Wood's regiment in the reconnaissance in force of the 27th of November, and subsequent advance to the Prah; commanded the head-quarters of Wood's regiment at the battle of Amoaful, and was present at the battle of Ordahsu and capture of Coomassie. Mentioned in despatches, Brevet-Major, medal, with clasp.