HC Deb 12 November 1902 vol 114 cc746-7
MR. BECKETT (Yorkshire, N.R., Whitby)

I beg to ask the Secretary to State for War whether he has any official report as to the conduct and efficiency of the new garrison regiments at Malta and elsewhere, and as to the result of the experiment of their employment.

MR. BRODRICK

Official reports have been received from Malta. The scheme is working satisfactorily, despite its having been necessary to start it during the war, when the selection of officers and noncommissioned officers was necessarily limited. The privates are a fine body of men, who can shoot and march well. A steady improvement is expected by the Commander-in-Chief, now that special attention can be given to the composition of these regiments.