§ MR. ANDERSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If it be the fact that a secret or private Committee is now sitting on various questions affecting the corps of Royal Marines, and if that Committee consists almost exclusively of persons connected with the Marine Office; and, if he will grant to the Marine officers a Commission of an independent character to consider their grievances, similar to that which was granted to Army officers in 1874?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHSir, it is the fact that a Committee, consisting of eight members, is sitting to consider various questions affecting the Royal Marines; but only two of these members are connected with the Marine Office. It is appointed to consider questions on which their judgment has been asked by the Board of Admiralty. The War Office Commission of 1874 was a Royal Commission appointed, consequent on the abolition of Purchase in the Army, for the special purpose of considering the best means for securing a reasonable rapidity of promotion, not differing essentially from that which obtained before the abolition of the Purchase system. That object was attained for the Marines by the Order in Council of January 15, 1878, which was founded on the Report of a Committee on precisely the same principles as those adopted by the Royal Commission on Army Promotion. I am not aware of any special circumstances which render it necessary at this moment to appoint another Commission.