§ MR. FORTESCUE FLANNERY (York, W.R., Shipley)On behalf of the honourable and gallant Member for East Bradford, I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the new paragraph 613 A. in Army Order 41, issued 1st March, 1898, allowing all cavalry officers at Home stations on joining the Army the use of a troop horse as a charger on payment of £10 per annum, applies to all cavalry officers at present serving with their regiments, or only to those officers joining after the issue of the order; and if only to the latter, will he 175 state what valid reason there is against according to all cavalry officers serving an equal privilege; whether paragraph 613 B. applies to all cavalry officers serving with their regiments at the specified stations; and whether such officers transferred or promoted to another station or to England would have the privilege continued to them?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSThe allowance of a troop horse as a charger is limited at home to officers joining the cavalry after the date of the Order. The cost of extending the privilege to all officers would involve the purchase of a large number of horses. Paragraph 613 B applies to all cavalry officers at the specified stations, which are those in which it is difficult to procure horses. At other stations the privilege does not apply.