EARL PERCYasked the Secretary of State for War, How many of the Captains in the last examination for promotion in the Army failed to pass; whether it is a fact that in the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers five Captains out of seven who went up for examination failed to satisfy the examiners; whether the average service of the three senior Captains is over eighteen years, and whether two of them have distinguished war service; and, whether he will consider the advisability of altering 497 the character of the examination, or of making some allowance for senior officers who entered the service on a very much lower standard of examination, and have proved themselves valuable and capable in time of war?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, out of 227 officers examined for the rank of major 85 failed to pass. Of seven captains in the Northumberland Fusiliers who went up five failed to qualify. The average service of the three senior captains exceeds 18 years; two of them have war service, and one for his war service received a brevet-majority. The standard of examination has not varied since 1880, and I am afraid it would be impossible to establish different standards for different officers.