§ MR. GABBETTasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether certain of the Assistant Paymasters of the Royal Navy, at present serving as such, have been some 20 years in the Service; whether optional retirement of Paymasters is ever allowed (except for ill-health) until the age of 55 is reached; whether, if every Paymaster who arrives at that age up to the end of 1889 avails himself of the option allowed, the promotion of the Assistant Paymasters of the standing of 1871 can be reached before about 18 years have been served in that rank; whether such officers will have then been some 22 years in the Navy, and of an age of about 39; and, whether the retardation of promotion, which now exists, will continue and tend to increase until the year 1890?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI believe that, excluding the case of any officer who may have lost time or promotion owing to misconduct, there are two Assistant Paymasters who have been 20 years in the Service. Optional retirement of Paymasters is not allowed, except for ill-health, before the age of 55. which is earlier than the age prescribed for the Civil Service. No conclusion can be drawn from an estimate of the effect on promotion which would be caused if every Paymaster retired at 55, because promotion depends on vacancies arising from death, dismissal, and retirement for physical unfitness, as well as optional or compulsory retirement. Owing to over-entries in past years, it is quite possible that the time for obtaining promotion may be slightly longer than at present up to 1889–90, after which year it should considerably decrease.