§ MR. JOHN WILSON (Lanarkshire, Govan)asked the Secretary of State for War whether he was aware that the two batteries of the 1st Lanarkshire Artillery Volunteers were converted into "Field Batteries of position," and that this involves that officers be mounted; whether the Commanding Officer of the corps had received an Order from the War Office that officers must sign a specified certificate, to the effect the!: each officer undertakes to keep and maintain bonâ fide his own 10 property a charger to be approved; whether it was the case that one officer had refused to sign such a certificate, and had been compelled to resign, after having served for 17 years; whether it was the case that in no other corps have officers in a similar position been required to sign such a certificate; and whether such an Order had been issued by the War Office, or only on the responsibility of the Commanding Officer of this regiment?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe Officer Commanding the 1st Lanark Artillery Volunteers, on his own responsibility, required his officers, before appointment to the two recently formed batteries of position, to sign an undertaking that they would keep and maintain a horse. This was not done by order from the War Office. The subaltern referred to declined to sign the undertaking, and claimed to be appointed to one of the batteries of position, and has declined promotion in a garrison battery till the question of his appointment to the position battery is settled. Nothing is known at the War Office of his resignation. I am not aware that any similar undertaking has been required in other corps.