§ COMMANDER BETHELL (York, E.R., Holderness)asked the First Lord of the 68 Admiralty, Why the Royal Naval Volunteers marched past Her Majesty on Saturday last behind the Honourable Artillery Company; and, if the old and well recognised right of the men of the Royal Navy to occupy the right of the line, when aligned with Her Majesty's Land Forces, does not apply to the case of the Honourable Artillery Company; and, if so, whether he will cause the fact to be notified in the Gazette?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE)(who replied) said (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)By a General Order of 1883 Her Majesty was pleased to grant the Honourable Artillery Company, in consideration of its antiquity, precedence immediately after the Regular Forces; and, therefore, before the Militia and Yeomanry, who themselves take precedence of the Volunteers. While, therefore, the right of men of the Royal Navy to take the right of the line when in alignment with the Land Forces is not contested, nor that of the Royal Naval Volunteers to take precedence over other Volunteer corps, the Honourable Artillery Company must be regarded as on a separate footing, with precedence over Volunteer corps of every description.