THE EARL OF WICKLOWsaid, he wished to ask a question of his noble Friend at the head of the Government, not from any mere feeling of curiosity, but with the view of preventing a good deal of useless correspondence now going on in Ireland—and, at all events, for the purpose of setting at rest a point at present not well understood. The question he had to ask was, Whether it was the intention of the Government to propose, during the present Session, that the Irish militia should be embodied; and, if such was their intention, whether they would embody 2 it on the old system established during the war, or on the new system which had been in operation since the peace?
§ THE EARL OF ABERDEENIn answer to the question of my noble Friend, I have to inform him that a Bill will be introduced this Session into the other House of Parliament, by which a power will be taken to modify the existing law respecting the militia in England, by which at present, I believe, a power exists to extend the 80,000 men which have been raised to 120,000. It is intended to vary that, and to extend to Ireland the power of raising and embodying 30,000 militia, and to Scotland the power of raising and embodying 10,000; but it is not intended to embody the Irish militia this year.