§ SIR EDWARD WATKINasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the number of Army Commissions to be offered to Militia Subalterns for competition at the Examination in September next is to be reduced from sixty to thirty; and, if so, on what grounds?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, my hon. Friend was, I presume, not in the House on the 16th of May, when I gave a long answer on this subject to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Rylands). I explained to him then that, under the new organization, there would be a large reduction in the number of officers, and that this would necessitate a smaller number of annual admissions. But for the hardship to young men who have been preparing for the Army, it would be unnecessary to appoint any subalterns or cadets whatever in the Cavalry or Infantry next year. We have, however, decided to spread the reductions over about four years; and, accordingly, 72 fewer cadets will be annually sent to Sandhurst, and 60 fewer lieutenants will come from the Militia. As to the latter, it must be remembered that in 1880 74 commissions beyond the fixed annual number were given to Militia officers, so that they have no possible grievance. We have, however, considered whether, as the notice to the Militia is a little shorter than that about Sandhurst, some relaxation might not be allowed in respect of the examination in September, and I have decided to allow 40 to enter then, instead of 30. But the fixed number in March next and afterwards will be 30 every half-year until all the supernumeraries are absorbed.