MR. HORACE PLUNKET (Dublin Co., S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether several honorary Colonelcies of Militia Battalions of Infantry and Brigades of Artillery in Great Britain and Ireland have been allowed to remain for years unfilled; and, whether in cases in which the Colonel Commanding, who has the right of nomination, does not within a reasonable time exercise the privilege, the War Office will do so?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordSeveral Militia battalions are without honorary Colonels, and in some cases the vacancy has existed for a considerable period. The Secretary of State will in such cases consider whether a nomination should be made, but the present system has, generally speaking, worked well, and it is not thought desirable to change it.