§ SIR W. EVANS GORDON (Tower, Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers are under orders to proceed from India to South Africa in the Autumn; that this regiment has already served for three years in South Africa; and whether, seeing that there is at the present time in India at least one cavalry regiment which has never been stationed in South Africa, he will say whether there is any precedent for a regiment being sent to that country both at the commencement and again at the conclusion of its tour of foreign service.
SIR CARNE RASH (Essex, Chelmsford)Is it not the fact that the foreign service of a regiment is quite irrespective of the place it happens to be quartered?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. HALDANE,) HaddingtonWe endeavour as far as possible to make it fall conveniently. The raising of the cavalry garrison in South Africa in 1904 from two regiments to four necessitated the formation of a new roster. The 9th Lancers are going from India to South Africa in the ordinary course, as they are at the top of that roster. One cavalry regiment will, under the present arrangement, go every year from India to South Africa, so that every regiment now in India will go in time to South Africa. There is no precedent for the exceptional position in which the 9th Lancers are placed in consequence of circumstances not likely to again occur. They were stationed in South Africa in 1896 on account of the increase of the garrison in that country.
§ SIR. W. EVANS-GORDONasked whether the right hon. Gentleman could say how long the 9th Lancers would be in South Africa this time.
§ MR. HALDANEI should not like to pledge myself to an Answer now. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question.