ARMY—PROMOTION BY SELECTION. (Hansard, 17 March 1881)

§ SIR HENRY HAVELOCK-ALLAN

said, the next Amendment stood in his name, and was to this effect— That, in the opinion of this House, the time has now arrived when the promises made to the Country in 1871, at the abolition of Purchase in the Army should be fulfilled, and that the principle of selection in the promotion of all officers to secure which this House has during the last nine years voted twenty millions of money, should now be practically introduced into any coming measure for the administrative reform of the Army. He did not intend, however, to proceed with the discussion of this Amendment, because the principle for which he was contending had already received considerable recognition in the statement made by the Secretary of State for War. That recognition did not go so far as he desired; but on certain material points concessions had been made in the Memorandum, issued on Wednesday, of the changes which were to take effect on the 1st of July.