§ MR. ARTHUR MOOREasked the Secretary of State for War, If it is true that the titles of the officers of the Army Hospital Corps have been changed from those of Lieutenant and Captain of Orderlies to that of Hospital Quartermaster; whether he is aware that this new designation is distasteful to the officers of the Army Hospital Corps; and, whether representations have been made to the Director General of the Army Medical Department to the effect that this change of designation would lower the social and military status of the officers concerned, and would render it more difficult for them to enforce obedience from their subordinates?
§ MR. CHILDERSYes, Sir; under the Warrant of the 14th of August, 1877, the discipline of the Army Hospital Corps was transferred from the captains and lieutenants of orderlies to the medi- 847 cal officers, leaving to the former the purely quartermaster duties of equipment and supply only. Under the new Warrant of this year, the emoluments and prospects of these officers have been considerably improved by putting them on the same footing as Line quartermasters, and the opportunity has been taken to discontinue their inappropriate titles, and give them that which is the proper description of their appointments. They will also receive honorary military rank, which is really better, so far as their social and military status is concerned, than the relative rank they formerly had. Their present titles will not unfavourably affect any authority they have in the hospitals.