§ LORD ALGEBNON PERCYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether H Battery, 4th Brigade, R. A., was not in the 1st Army Corps, and 5th for Foreign Service, at the time of the despatch of the troops to Egypt; whether, instead of being sent abroad, out of its establishment of eighty-six horses, twenty were transferred to C Battery, 3rd Brigade, R. A., and N Battery, 2nd Brigade, R. A., and forty-two as draught horses for the Regimental Transport of the West Kent and Royal Irish Regiments; and, whether C Battery, 3rd Brigade, R. A., and N Battery, 2nd Brigade, R. A., were sent to Egypt, the one being in the 2nd Army Corps, and the 1399 other in the 1st Army Corps, but below H Battery on the Roster for Foreign Service?
§ SIR ARTHUR HAYTERsaid, that H Battery, 4th Brigade, Royal Artillery was in the 1st Army Corps, but that on the 1st of April last the regiment of Royal Artillery was re-organized, and a Roster of batteries by brigades was established. Batteries for service in Egypt were detailed on this principle. Two batteries of the 1st Brigade were detailed for the Artillery of the 1st Division, two of the 2nd Brigade for the 2nd Division, and two of the 3rd Brigade for the Corps Artillery. No batteries of the 4th Brigade were required; but H Battery, 4th Brigade, alluded to by the noble Lord, was required, like all the field batteries in England, to supply horses for active service. In reply to the last Question, I have to say that N Battery, 2nd Brigade, was the first for foreign service of its brigade, and therefore selected, while C Battery 3rd Brigade was sent because it was thought advisable that all the batteries of the Corps Artillery should be equipped with 13-pounder guns; whereas two batteries of the same brigade, standing earlier for service, were in Ireland, and armed with 16-pounders.