§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDONasked the Secretary of State for War, If he will state, as nearly as he can, the total number of Officers of the Army who will be retired, under the proposed new regulations, for compulsory retirement, on the 1st July, or on whatever date the new rules may come into operation?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, it is almost impossible to say how many officers will be retired on the 1st of July until the Warrant has appeared and officers have elected between the different courses open to them. But, as a matter of fact, the number of retirements under the new system will be in the aggregate much less than those impending under the system now in force.
§ MAJOR NOLANasked the Secretary of State for War, if, under the new Warrant to be issued on the let July, Colonels of fifty-eight years of age will be allowed to complete their service in those situations to which they have been appointed for five years, or if they will be compulsorily retired on pensions before the completion of the five years' term from the command of Depot Centres and other equivalent positions; if the latter is the case would he inform the House what is approximately the additional expense which wilt be entailed on the Exchequer by such compulsory retirements, and if any compensating' saving will be effected; and, what will be approximately the gross loss incurred by the officers who would. be thus compulsorily retired before the completion of their five years' term?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, the Question of the hon. and gallant Gentleman is word for word the same as that he asked me three days ago, with the addition of the word approximately. My answer on Monday precisely answers his present Question. I told him that the estimate showed the aggregate change; but that 800 it was almost impossible, and it would be until the Warrant issues useless, to break it up into detail.