§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the War Office lately invited applications from officers for two years residence and military study in Japan, with certain emoluments and privileges, he will state how many officers applied from each branch, Engineer, Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry; whether, seeing that three Infantry and one Artillery officer were selected, he will state who are the persons who made this selection, and on what grounds did they prefer three Infantry officers to all the Engineer officers and all but one of the Artillery officers who applied; whether any further similar appointments are to be made; and, if so, will he direct the selection board to consider the claims of the scientific branches of the service.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe number of officers who applied was as follows:—Engineers 15, Artillery 46, Cavalry 11, Infantry 84, Army Service Corps 9, and Royal Army Medical Corps 1. Of these all who had not passed for promotion were excluded, leaving: Engineers 2, Artillery 15, Cavalry 3, Infantry 29, and Army Service Corps 4. The selection was made finally by the 179 Chief of the General Staff. Four selections are made annually. There were already four Artillery and three Engineer officers in Japan as compared with three Infantry and two Cavalry officers; in these circumstances the selection of three Infantry officers and one Artillery officer was considered a proper proportion.
THE MASTER OF ELIBANK (Edinburgh, Midlothian)Are these appointments open to officers of the Indian Army?
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERA certain proportion of officers have been appointed from India, but I am speaking only of those appointed from here.