LORD STRATHEDEN AND CAMPBELLasked the Under Secretary of State for War, On what principle it is intended to distribute brigades between officers of the Army and officers of the Volunteer Force at the Easter Monday field-day?
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNsaid, before the Question was answered, he would like to ask the noble Earl who had a previous Notice on the Paper (the Earl of Dunraven) why he had not been called upon—why the matter had been postponed?
THE EARL OF DUNRAVENsaid, that, as the Question had been asked, he must state that he had postponed calling attention to the statement of the Prime Minister relating to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of "Adams v. Dunseath" for obvious reasons—the length of the discussions on the previous questions and the state of the House. When he brought on the matter after Easter, he hoped there would be more time for its discussion.
THE EARL OF MORLEY, in reply, said, the principle on which the appointments were made was that the officer commanding a regimental district should also command a brigade composed of battalions localized in the district. Two exceptions, however, had had to be made owing to the absence of officers, and in those cases two distinguished Volunteers (Lords Bury and Ranelagh) had been appointed to commands.
§ VISCOUNT BURYsaid, he agreed that, as a general rule, it was perfectly right that the Regular officers commanding the districts should command the brigades; but for more than 20 years Volunteer officers had been regarded as eligible for employment as brigadiers, and he hoped that the plan of which his noble Friend had spoken of giving commands generally to Regular officers of the Army would not be carried to such an extent as to exclude Volunteer officers when duly qualified.
§ LORD TRUROsaid, he could assure his noble Friend (Viscount Bury) that he expressed the feeling throughout the whole Volunteer Corps, when he said that the course which the Government had in its wisdom thought proper to 461 pursue had had the effect generally throughout that Body of depriving it of officers of that social position which it was most expedient that it should have if the Force was to continue what at its commencement it unquestionably was. This was not the occasion for any lengthened comment on the Volunteer Force; but he would take some future occasion to point out what were the particular drawbacks which had had the effect generally of lowering the condition of the Volunteer Force. He submitted that that Force would have to be placed in a better position. Sooner or later it must become the National Army as contrasted with the Imperial Army; and if the Government meant to do the Force justice, it must provide better officers.
§ LORD WAVENEYhoped that the noble Lord (Lord Truro), in his estimate of the National Army, would not entirely forget the Militia. He (Lord Waveney) had great respect for the Volunteer officers; but he thought that the Militia officers were also entitled to recognition.