THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, he rose to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, If it was intended to take any steps to redress the injury that Colonels with purchase rights, who held that rank prior to the 1st of October, 1877, had suffered by being compulsorily retired from the Service before the time their removal would have taken place by the terms of the warrants in force when they were promoted to the rank of Colonel? He (the Earl of Longford) voted for the abolition of Purchase on the assurance that the rights of officers would be respected, and their promotion maintained. First, the age of retirement from the Active List was fixed at 63, then, in 1881, it was reduced to 55 in the case of Colonels, unless they had obtained a certain rank. The officers in question had purchased rights, and among others was the expectation of promotion of which they were summarily deprived. If that was necessary to the reconstitution of the Army, it was but simple justice that they should be amply compensated. It was true that the au- 17 thorities at the War Office had already recognized, in some measure, the claims of these officers. One of them had received an additional pension of £5 a-year, another £8 17s., and another £1 19s. But these cases, he submitted, had not been sufficiently considered, and they were entitled to compensation far beyond anything that had been awarded to them.
THE EARL OF MORLEY, in reply, said, he was afraid he could not add anything to what had been already stated in "another place" by the late Secretary of State for War in regard to these Colonels. The noble Earl had stated rightly that in 1877 a new Rule came into force regarding the age at which these officers should retire; but they were compensated for any loss that might occur under this Rule. Whereas, under the old Rule, the half-pay of these officers could not exceed £200, the retired pay now reached to as much as £420. In addition to this, in 1878, they received compensation for the loss of their chance of obtaining unattached pay as general officers; and those attaining the age of 59 before their term of employment was up received full compensation for the term they were unable to complete in that employment. The other claims were of so vague and shadowy a character that it was impossible to consider them, and he could not undertake to re-open the question.
§ House adjourned at Seven o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.