§ MR. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, will he explain why, during last August, Major Grant, R.E., was appointed to command the Royal Engineers at Victoria, British Columbia, and given local rank as Lieutenant Colonel, and took the position of Officer commanding the garrison, although Major Trotter, Royal Marines, over whom his command extended, is two years senior to Major Grant.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. G. WYNDHAM, Dover)While important building works necessitating heavy expenditure of public money are under construction, it is desirable that the Senior Officer should, as heretofore, belong to the Royal Engineers. In order to effect that object the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel was conferred on Major Grant.