§ LORD NORTHBROOKMy Lords, I desire to ask the Secretary of State for 1693 India if it is proposed to offer a certain number of commissions in the Royal Engineers and the Royal Artillery to students at the Royal Engineering College at Cooper's Hill.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Lord HARRIS)Perhaps the noble Earl will allow me to reply to the question. It is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to offer 13 commissions if there were that number of cadets available and qualified. At present the matter is being discussed between the War Office and the India Office.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Viscount CROSS)I only desire to supplement my noble Friend's answer by pointing out that the training for the year will begin in September next, and I hope the commissions which are offered will be an inducement to gentlemen who want to enter the Army to go to that most excellent institution at Cooper's Hill. It is an institution which I have had a great deal to do with and have examined very thoroughly, and I have satisfied myself that a more excellent education is not to be got anywhere. I think the greatest possible credit is due to Sir Alexander Taylor and all the members of his staff, who have worked so heartily together in producing such a very excellent result. I am glad the noble Earl has asked this question, in order that this opening for young men may be made publicly known, and also the offer of the War Office which I hope will be continued.
§ * VISCOUNT CROSSI certainly hope that the offer of Commissions will be continued from year to year. We have had rather more applications for India than we want. Generally, there is some little room in the College, and it makes a difference in regard to the College whether it is full or not.
* THE EARL OF MORLEYI should like to know whether this proposal will diminish the number of cadets at Woolwich?
LORD HARRISI may say that there is certainly no intention of reducing the number of cadets in the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. If the Royal Military Academy, being full, cannot 1694 supply the number of officers required for those two services, I have no doubt the War Office would again apply to Cooper's Hill College. The noble Earl is no doubt aware that the question of difficulty at present is the age, as pupils entered Cooper's Hill College older than cadets entered the Royal Military Academy.