§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will grant the Return as to the strength of the Guards, of which notice appears on to-day's Paper?
§ * MR. E. STANHOPEI am unable to grant the Return asked for by the hon. Member; but I have no objection to tell him that the number of men in the different battalions of the Guards in London was by the last Return:—1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, 789 of all ranks; 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, 809 of all ranks; 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, 693 of all ranks; 1st Battalion Scots Guards, 699 of all ranks; 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 710 of all ranks. The establishment of the bands is, in the Grenadier Guards, 60; in the Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards, 40; but, in addition to these numbers, acting bandsmen are appointed, whose numbers vary from time to time.