§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Secretary of State for War, If, inasmuch as the statute 23 and. 24 Vic. c. 100, provides that
The advantages as to pay, pension, allowances, privileges, promotion, and otherwise secured to the Military Forces of the East India Company by the Act of 21 and,22 Vic 0. 106, ss. 56 and 58 respectively, shall be main- 761 tained in any plan for the reorganization of the Indian Army,he has considered whether it would not be a violation of the provisions of the said Act to place officers of the now line regiments, who were brought from the East India Company's Service, on the retired list on account of their not having reached a certain rank at a specified age?
§ MR. CHILDERSNo, Sir; it is perfectly clear that these officers are subject to all the incidence of service and retirement, in the same way as other officers, and that they were perfectly aware of this when they volunteered to join these regiments. They, however, are guaranteed their reversionary pensions, if they elect, when retired, to go on half-pay till the time for pension comes, instead of taking the special pensions which were offered under the Warrant of the 6th of September, 1878. The officers in question withdrew themselves from the protection of the "Henley" clause, and placed themselves in a position to which it could by no possibility apply.