§ * MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what military stations outside the United Kingdom are now reckoned as home stations, or at which troops now serving are reckoned as on the home establishment.
§ * MR. BRODRICKUnder the present system, whenever circumstances require that more than the normal number of battalions should be abroad, battalions on the home roster have to be sent abroad out of their turn on what is called "short tour," and these are sent to stations where the qualifications of service are the same as at home; they are considered as temporarily detached from the home establishment. At present there are no battalions on short tour except in South Africa.
§ * MR. ARTHUR LEEIs not this the inevitable result of the linked battalion system?
§ MR. BRODRICKAll battalions are maintained at home in the same proportion as those abroad, but if the exigencies of the public service require it, some of the home battalions are temporarily sent abroad.