§ SIR A ACLAND-HOOD (Somerset, Wellington)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War what number of men have been transferred from battalion to battalion of the Grenadier Guards during the last two months, and for what purpose; how many recruits have been specially enlisted into each regiment of Foot Guards since 1st January 1897; how many men now on the establishment of the 1st battalion Grenadier Guards are recruits of under nine months' service; and whether recruiting under any other branch of the service has been in any way interfered with in order to obtain recruits for the Guards?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford42 men were transferred from the 1st to the 2nd battalion, because being in their last six months of service, they will be ineligible for foreign service when the 1st battalion embarks. This is the course adopted with all battalions embarking for foreign service; The special enlistments during the present year for the Foot Guards have been 113 for the Grenadiers, 53 for the Cold-streams and 57 for the Scots; 403 men in the 1st battalion of the Grenadier Guards have less than nine months service. The recruiting of other branches of the service has not been interfered in order to obtain recruits for the Guards.
§ SIR A ACLAND-HOODI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War to what extent each regiment of Foot Guards is now below the establishment of 1897–8; what number of men were invited to rejoin the Grenadier Guards from the Reserve under Army Order 59 of 1897, and how many have rejoined: what number of men of the Grenadiers have extended their service from three to seven years in consideration of a bounty of £2, under the same Army Order; and what is the number 4 men of the 1st battalion Grenadier Guards whose service will expire between now and the date of the embarkation of the battalion for Gibraltar?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe Grenadier Guards are 172 men below the establishment laid down for the regiment from the date of the 1st battalion embarking for Gibraltar in October next. The Coldstream and Scots Guards are respectively 44 and 62 above their old establishments; but they are 254 and 247 below the establishment which is to be provided by the 1st April 1898, which will include the numbers to be raised in the financial year towards the new battalions; 326 men were invited to rejoin from the Reserves—11 have done so; 6 men in the Grenadier Guards have extended their colour service from three to seven years; the service of 54 men in the 1st battalion of the Grenadier Guards will expire before the date fixed for their embarkation.
§ MR. JAMES HOZIER (Lanark, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of 10 State for War what the number of recruits of each battalion of the Grenadier Guards is at the depot at present; what the minimum amount of service of men ordered to embark with the 1st battalion for Gibraltar will be; and, whether any of these men will be untrained in musketry and field training; and, if so, whether they are to be trained in musketry and field training at Gibraltar?
§ MR. BRODRICKThere are 232 recruits of the Grenadier Guards at present at the depôt. Of these 222 belong to the 1st, four to the 2nd, and six to the 3rd battalion. No man will be sent to Gibraltar with less than three months' service. If the state of the weather or any other special cause should prevent any of the men completing their musketry and field training before embarkation, they will complete it at Gibraltar.
§ SIR A ACLAND-HOODasked why the number of recruits in the 2nd battalion was so low, and when it was proposed to make up the proper number.
§ MR. BRODRICKObviously when the 1st battalion lets to be raised by 170 men in three months, it is necessary that the recruits should be passed to that battalion first. Afterwards the remaining battalions will be made up to their requisite strength.
§ MR. HOZIERasked whether it was possible to give the recruits musketry training at Gibraltar.
§ MR. BRODRICKYes, Sir. There are ranges up to 1,400 yards for musketry, and up to 1,800 yards for field firing.