§ 25. Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Secretary of State for War what is the average period served by the artificers in the Royal Artillery before they are promoted to non-commissioned rank; and how does this period compare with the promotion of gunners?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)Taking as the basin of comparison the average service before promotion of the present bombardiers, artificer bombardiers served seven years and nine months as artificers, other bombardiers four years and one month as gunners or drivers. The total Army service of the former group is, on the average, appreciably longer than that of the latter, and the conditions of promotion are consequently not comparable, but I may say that these conditions in the case of artificers are now under examination.