§ SIR C. DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War why there has been omitted from the annual Reports of the Army Medical Department for 1895 and 1896 the average chest measurement of the total number of recruits approved in the year, always given in previous years; and whether the missing statement for the two years in question can be supplied?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WT. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe Returns hitherto rendered showed chest measurements exceeding 35 inches in one group, as measurements above 35 inches, without giving details, and in calculating the average these have been taken as being all 35 inches. This does not represent the true average, and an alteration has been made so as to approximate to it more nearly. The Report for 1897 will show an average calculated in this manner. The averages for 1895 and 1896 worked out on a basis similar to previous calculations were in each year 33.7 inches, as compared with 33.6 inches in 1893 and 1894.