§ * SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will state in what public document the War Office have given an interpretation of Section 87 of the Army Act, justifying the recent order of the Commander in-Chief in India that 7 years service becomes 8¼ years, 12 years service becomes 13¼ and 21 years service becomes 22¼ and whether the words giving power to prolong the service for such further period not exceeding twelve months as the competent military authority, may order, are in practice construed as subject to a further addition of three months under the words directing discharge with all convenient speed.
LORD STANLEYIn reply to the first paragraph, the public documents are the Royal Proclamation continuing soldiers in Army Service and Army Order 184 of 1899 giving effect thereto. It has been decided that three months should be adopted as the limit of 144 convenient speed, and that after that compensation should be granted in accordance with the terms of Army Order 210 of 1901.