MR. D. A. TIIOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Mountain Artillery is a senior service to the Garrison Artillery, though a branch of it, and if officers are recommended for promotion to the former from the Royal Garrison Artillery; whether, seeing that officers of Horse Artillery receive higher rates of pay than those of Field Artillery, he will say why officers of the Mountain Artillery, though they have the care of mules and horses as well as of guns, and their cost of living is higher, receive lower pay than the officers of Garrison Artillery.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick) The Mountain Division of the Royal Garrison Artillery is not viewed as senior to the rest, but officers are, in each rank, selected from garrison companies for appointment to the mountain batteries. As regards the pay, the officers of the Mountain Artillery have no armament under their charge, and therefore are not qualified for the special pay peculiar to the garrison companies.