EARL PERCYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will consider the advisability of allowing those officers of the Army who gained five marks in the aggregate, and passed in every subject at the last examination for promotion, to be reckoned as qualified for promotion from the date of the conclusion of the next examination, without obliging them to appear again before the examiners on that occasion?
THE MARQUESS or HARTINGTON, in reply, said, he had looked into this question with every disposition to provide against arrangements which would cause inconvenience to the officers of the Army. He was afraid it was beyond 1311 the scope of the New Regulations to make them retrospective, even if they were limited to the last examination, the results of which for unsuccessful candidates had been cancelled. It would probably lead to demands from officers similarly situated at former examinations, and raise questions of supersession which it would be difficult, if not impossible, to entertain.
EARL PERCYasked the noble Marquess to explain how the retrospective operation of the Regulations would have the effect he had indicated.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONreplied, that what he had stated was the result of inquiries he had made. It would really be impossible for the Department to consent to make the Regulations retrospective in this matter.