THE EARL OF SANDWICHsaid, he rose to ask the Under Secretary of State for War some Questions respecting the Militia and Mr. Childers's Memorandum which was presented to Parliament in June, 1881. He complained of the way in which the adjutants had been treated in certain cases, and said it would be a great been if portions of the Militia were paraded before the Royal Family. Officers who had been 50 years in the Service felt the stigma on themselves and their regiments at being left out in the distribution of honours; and the subject had been mentioned to him by many officers who naturally felt aggrieved to 1375 find themselves superseded by colonels of three or four years' experience.
THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, he wished to put a Question with reference to the new Rules relating to summary punishment. In his opinion, if the Militia were to have the advantage of them, and they were to be exhibited at the Post Offices, they would not be likely to give an impetus to recruiting for the Militia regiments.
THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, that when the Militia became subject to military law, they would come under the same provisions, in regard to summary punishments, as the Regular Forces. As to the present organization of Militia being permanent, they had heard lately a good deal about the words "permanent," "fixity," and "durable." He could not say that it would be permanent; but he hoped and believed that the arrangements now made with regard to the Militia would be durable. As to the removal of regiments to the depots, he agreed that in some cases it might have caused some inconvenience, the accommodation not being sufficient. The accommodation at the regimental depots having been provided for the regiments in the sub-district, there was difficulty in asking Parliament to add county buildings for the accommodation of Militia regiments. The question had been before a Committee over which he presided, and certain recommendations had been made; but much depended on the arrangements which could be made with the county authorities. The Secretary of State for War was very anxious to do all he could to maintain the popularity and efficiency of the Militia and to maintain the union between the Line and the Militia. The position of an officer of Militia was quite different from that of an officer of the Line in regard to retirement, and some discretion was given, depending on the reports of the inspecting officer. There was a fixed age in each rank, with permission to exceed it by five years in special circumstances; and the arrangement was as liberal as it could well be. Captains were retired at 50 or 55, compared with 40 or 43 in the Line. Colonels would be allowed, in special cases, to stay on till they were 60 years of age. Paymasters having been appointed for sub-districts, adjutants acted only as sub-accountants and not as paymasters; and if this were 1376 to be recognized as ground for a claim, it would be the opening wide of a door for every sort of compensation for services which came within a man's ordinary duties. A very substantial rise had been made in the pay of the adjutants on the understanding that the new pay was to be in lieu of former remuneration for all services, and he ventured to think that they had no claim for anything further. It was felt by everyone in the Army that the Militia should be encouraged, as it was a most efficient and valuable force. But he did not think there was any necessity or any intention at present to take any extraordinary measures in the shape of Royal Reviews to encourage the force. It would maintain itself without any such stimulus. The question of honours was a difficult and delicate one to talk of in the House, and he could not help regretting that the noble Lord should have taken the unusual course of calling attention to their recent distribution. The distribution of honours was attended with very considerable difficulty, and the Secretary of State for War took the greatest possible care to make it as fair and just as possible. He regretted very much that the inevitable result of the distribution, where so many had claims to distinction, was that some should be disappointed; but this he could say, that the distribution was accepted as having been justly and fairly made. It never for a moment entered into his right hon. Friend's head that those who were disappointed had any stigma cast upon their characters, and he could not conceive that such an idea could, inside the House or out of it, be seriously entertained.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYsaid, he desired to refer very briefly to the closing observations of the noble Earl. He quite agreed that the question was one which it was very difficult to discuss in that House; but he could not help saying that the difficulty into which the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for War fell was in ear-marking and assigning a particular number of honours for a particular service. At the first sight it appeared to be a very reasonable proceeding, but it almost inevitably resulted in the disappointment of some persons. It naturally led to a feeling on the part of those who were excluded that a reflection was cast upon them, although he quite admitted that that could never 1377 have been intended. A very sound rule had always prevailed in both Houses of Parliament that conferring of honours by the Sovereign should not be the subject of discussion. Individual cases were not susceptible of discussion; but he thought that the difficulty which had arisen was traceable to the innovation which he had pointed out. It was certainly a mistake to take out of their established order a particular number of decorations, and say—"These shall be the rewards in a particular service." There should be a general form of awarding honours, and, to avoid dissatisfaction, people should not be allowed to look upon it as a matter of chance.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, that, without expressing any opinion on what the noble Marquess had said, he believed it was true that when the noble Marquess was himself in Office something of the same kind had occurred in the distribution of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, of which a certain number had been set apart for the Foreign Office.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYsaid, they were not assigned to any special service. They were not taken out of the order, but were created for the special purpose.
§ LORD STRATHNAIRNsaid, that he supported the conclusions at which his noble and gallant Friend had arrived.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Eight o'clock, to Thursday next, a quarter before Four o'clock.