§ COLONEL J. MCCALMONT (Antrim, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of Stats for War whether an increase of eight non-commissioned officers has been sanctioned to each of three companies of Garrison Artillery now serving at Malta to bring them to higher establishment; and whether 24 non-commissioned officers have been sent out from home to fill these vacancies, thus depriving the junior non-commissioned officers of those companies of promotion which they naturally look for; and, if so, what steps it is proposed to take to remedy the grievance complained of?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. W. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordA certain number of non-commissioned officers had to be sent out with the large draft of men sent on augmentation. Twenty-four were so sent, 339 who will absorb some of the promotions in the batteries due to the augmentation, but a much larger number of promotions will remain to be made, and will benefit the men now serving.