§ MR. GABBETTasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether Her Majesty's Order in Council of 23rd October 1877 (Clause C) contained the words—
Assistant Paymasters, with over eight years' seniority as such, to rank with Lieutenants of under eight years' seniority;whether an Order signed by the Secretary to the Admiralty was issued a few months subsequently, stating that the above Clause was 1496To he considered to mean, to rank with, not after, Lieutenants of under eight years' seniority;whether such interpolation virtually took away from these officers the rank granted to them by Her Majesty; and, whether, in the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, such alteration by authority of the Admiral Board was legal?
§ SIR THOMAS BRASSEYWhen the Order in Council of the 23rd of October, 1877, was issued, it was found that the words "but after" had been inadvertently omitted from the clause to which the hon. Member refers. It was found necessary to amend the Circular in consequence of the anomalies which the omission of these words introduced even within the Paymasters' Department itself. For instance, it gave an assistant paymaster of over eight years' standing higher relative rank than he would have when promoted to the higher rank of paymaster. The amended Rule was embodied in the revised edition of the Queen's Regulations, and was covered by the Order in Council of the 4th of February, 1879.