THE EARL OF LONGFORDasked the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether it was intended to continue the issue of the monthly Army List in its present limited and inconvenient form? For many years that list was published in a very convenient shape, and contained all the names of officers, dates of commissions, and other useful information; but, among other changes, the Secretary of State for War had reduced the monthly Army List to very different proportions, and withheld some very useful information. Some time since the Secretary of State had cut the lace off his coat and replaced it by decorations of his own; and now he had cut his name out of The Army List—he knew not why. A great many officers sympathized in his views, and were desirous that the book should be restored to its former proportions.
THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, that the conditions under which the new Army List was published were quite different from those of the old Army List. In consequence mainly of the changes made in the organization of the Army, the Secretary of State published a quarterly Army List, somewhat bulky in form, but containing more information than the old monthly list could contain. The quarterly Army List would contain the names of all the officers in the Army, and they would occupy some 800 pages. It was intended that this book should be the great authority in all cases of promotion and retirement, and other matters. The new Army List, printed monthly, was intended to give in a reduced shape some of the information to be found in the old Army List, and contained the names of officers on active service. It omitted the whole of the preliminary part of the old monthly list, which related to mobilization and localization, and in lieu of that there had been inserted a list of all the regiments under the head of Distribution of Staff. There was also omitted the list of Militia and Volunteer officers, which only came in once in six months. As to the complaint of the noble and gallant Earl that his name was omitted, that omission would be corrected in the quarterly Army List, in which the names of retired officers would appear, with the dates of their commissions. Though the new monthly list did not contain the same amount of information as the quarterly list, yet it would be found very useful, and it had been thought necessary to issue it in a cheaper form. If it was found desirable to introduce the dates of the last commissions in the monthly Army List, that would be done. The matter was now under the consideration of the Secretary of State for War.
§ LORD CHELMSFORD, said he was glad to hear that the new Army List would be revised, because there was at present ground for substantial complaint. Before the new changes were made, when an officer retired of his own free will, his name was retained on the list, and if this monthly list was to be popular the same thing must be done. The monthly list would be the one most purchased, as the price of the quarterly list —£3 a-year—would be beyond the means of many officers. He hoped the Secretary of State would see the necessity of re-placing on the list the names 347 of officers who had obtained distinguished service rewards. The officers whose names had been removed felt it extremely, and it would be a graceful and a just thing; to have the names restored.
LORD ELLENBOROUGHconsidered it was absolutely necessary, in reference to the formation of courts martial, that all the names of officers should be restored to the monthly list, and the dates of all commissions of regimental officers should be given.