GENERAL RUSSELLI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can state with reference to the 1st Battalion of Coldstream Guards, at the time when they recently embarked for Gibraltar, their strength in rank and file, the number of men under two years' service, the number of men under one year's service, the number of men who had not yet begun a recruit's course of musketry, and the number of men who had not done a recruit's course of gymnastics?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSWhen the First Battalion of the Coldstream Guards embarked for Gibraltar on the 10th March, the strength in rank and file was 917. Of these, 233 had not yet begun the recruits' course of musketry. This course takes 11 days, and can be gone through without difficulty at Gibraltar. Forty-one had not done a recruit's course of gymnastics. The return of service for the 1st April, the nearest date available, showed 550 men under two years' service: of whom 281 had less than one year's service.