HC Deb 04 August 1881 vol 264 c824
SIR ALEXANDER GORDON

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the case (as has been stated) that, by Article 66, of Section 1, Part 1, of the new Army Warrant, commanding officers of battalions of Infantry will be unable to exchange with other commanding officers (as hitherto allowed when such exchanges were approved by the Commander in Chief) without losing their position as commanding officers, and becoming subordinate officers under the command of the newly created second lieutenant colonels; and, whether he will alter the Warrant so as to rectify so great an injustice?

MR. CHILDERS

Yes, Sir; my hon. and gallant Friend has rightly interpreted the New Warrant; but I have no intention to amend it in the way he suggests. We deprecate, on the score of efficiency, exchanges between lieutenant colonels commanding battalions of different regiments, and I have no wish to make such exchanges more easy.