§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDONwished to put a Question to the Secretary of State for War, of which he had given him private Notice as soon as he possibly could—namely, when he found that his promised Amendment on the Army Discipline Bill was not on the Paper. He wished to ask him, Whether, before going into Committee, he would put on the Paper the clause which he proposed to substitute for Clause 178, with the view of preventing the Bill from altering the relations between the Crown, the Army, and Parliament?
§ COLONEL STANLEYsaid, he was obliged to the hon. and gallant Gentleman for giving him Notice of his Question. He admitted that it would have been better if, before now, he had laid on the Table the old clause which it was proposed to substitute for the new one at present in the Bill; but he was waiting until some verbal Amendments which were proposed were settled. He could not promise to lay the terms of the clause on the Table before the House 1505 went into Committee on the Bill, as he hoped to get into Committee shortly—that evening, in fact. Inasmuch, however, as the Amendment contemplated referred to Clause 178, he could not help thinking, however sanguine he might be as to the progress he hoped to make, that there would be ample time given to put the clause upon the Paper, and also for its consideration, before Clause 178 was reached.