§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether soldiers 50 years of age, under conditions mentioned in Small Book of 1853, page 6, are not entitled to a pension after 12 years' service; and, if so, whether he will take steps to advertise the fact?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleI explained on the 14th inst. these soldiers are not entitled to a deferred pension, the misprint in one part of the Small Book having been shown to be a mistake by the explanation given in another part. There could be no need to advertise, as every man enlisted before the mistake was corrected must long since have reached the age of 50, and on preferring any claim he considered himself to have must have received an explanation of the error.