§ MR. PIRIEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the Return of Military Forces in South Africa 1899–1901, where it appears that the number of officers who left South Africa for England, not invalids, was 1,214, and the number of men and noncommissioned officers and men was 11,109, a proportion of 1 to 9, whereas the proportion to the strength of the Regular forces in South Africa on 1st February, 1901, under the heads of the Return, is about 1 to 32, whether he will state 561 the reason of this disproportion of officers returning, not invalids, allowance being made for the staff officers who have returned with their generals; and whether he could state the number of this latter and of the staffs accompanying them.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe preparation of this Return would entail very considerable labour, which I am not prepared to throw upon the department concerned.