CAPTAIN AYLMERasked the Secretary of State for War, If his attention has been called to the fact that, under the provisions of the Royal Warrant on Promotion, 1878, captains of twenty years' service having reached forty years of age have to retire, while in many cases captains who are junior to them in their regiments, and who benefit by their retirements, are of greater age; and, whether he does not think it would be more just to enforce retirement on account of age alone, instead of age and service?
§ MR. CHILDERSThe hon. and gallant Gentleman asks me an abstract Question, whether age or length of service ought, in my opinion, to determine the time of compulsory retirement. If he will do me the favour to refer to the 822 system of retirement from the Navy which I established in 1870, he will see that I think age the better criterion. But I will not undertake to alter, after such short experience, the entire system of retirement from the Army where it depends on length of service.