§ GENERAL FRASER (Lambeth, N.)asked the Secretary of State for War, If it is the case that if the present Commanding Officer of the 11th Hussars so desired, he could retire this year on a pension of £420 a-year, with the honorary rank of Major General, while the late Commanding Officer who was retired from the regiment on the 18th May, 1886, is placed on half-pay, and may not retire to pension until 18th May, 1891, and then without the rank of Major General, unless he repays to the Government the over regulation price of his commission—namely, £2,775, the service of the first named officer being 19 years, and that of the latter 30 years?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WAR DEPARTMENT (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford)(who replied) said: Honorary rank on retirement has been abolised from the end of the present year. It is, therefore, merely au incident of a time when a Colonel may retire whether he would or would not obtain a step of honorary rank. As regards the amount of pension, it is the case that the officer at present commanding the 11th Hussars could if he wished retire at once on £420 a-year; whereas the Colonel lately commanding the regiment could only do so before he reaches the age of 55 by refunding £2,775, which he received as over regulation. I may point out that it is a necessary result of the abolition of purchase that a post-purchase officer is better off than one who obtained his commissions under the purchase system. At the same time, the latter's pecuniary position is greatly better than it would have been under purchase; for to obtain the command of a regiment and a previous majority he would, in all probability, have had to invest large sums, which, together with the £2,775, he could only have recovered by going to half-pay. If he had done so, he would have had to remain for many years on half-pay before he could have obtained an income equal to that now open to him on reaching the age of 55. In making a comparison between these two officers it is only fair to say that the Colonel of shorter service has served continuously in the 11th. Hussars, while the other Colonel has made six exchanges, which will sufficiently account for his greater length of service.