§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSsaid, he wished to draw the attention of the Under Secretary of State for War to the inadequate space granted for the inspection of Volunteers in Hyde Park. He went to the Park on Saturday to see his old regiment, the London Scottish, inspected, and he must say that he was somewhat scandalized at the 1120 way in which the inspection had to be carried on. Three regiments were being inspected and three others were drilling, and the ground set aside for their accommodation was that narrow slip between Knightsbridge Barracks and Rotten Row, which at the most was only 120 yards wide—no wider than Ascot racecourse. Seeing that when certain gentlemen wanted to get up a demonstration against their Lordships' House they had the use of the best portion of the Park, he desired to know whether better arrangements could be made for such a large and useful body of men as the Volunteers? Surely, when they had a body of men 200,000 strong who gave their time to the Public Service, thorough provision ought to be made for their efficient and satisfactory inspection. He hoped that the War Office would give attention to the matter.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Lord SANDHURST), in reply, said, that in consequence of the short Notice which he had received of the noble Earl's Question, he had hardly been able to inquire into this matter as he would like to have done. He understood that the arrangements for the inspection of Volunteer corps were entirely in the hands of the General Officers commanding the districts, and these arrangements were made, as far as possible, to suit the convenience of the corps. It was a lamentable thing that some confusion should have occurred such as that to which the noble Earl had alluded, and, seeing the great interest that their Lordships' House and the country generally took in the Volunteer Force, it was a great pity that these inspections could not be carried on with greater convenience. He would make further inquiries into the matter.