THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for War to explain why the 16th Lancers have not been ordered home. This regiment left England for India in September; 1890, and went to South Africa in January, 1900, making fourteen years foreign service; whereas the 19th Hussars left for India in 1891 and came home in December, 1903, and the 7th Dragoon Guards went out in 1900 and are ordered home to Canterbury before the 16th Lancers. The Scots Greys also went to South Africa after the 16th Lancers, and are ordered home before the latter regiment.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Earl of DONOUGHMORE)My Lords, in answer to the noble Earl, who asks me to explain why the 16th Lancers have not been ordered home and quotes the 19th Hussars, the 7th Dragoon Guards, and the Scots Greys as regiments that have been better treated, I would point out that the 7th Dragoon Guards and the Scots Greys were sent to South Africa direct from home and that this was not the case with the 16th Lancers, who were sent to South Africa direct from India. The latter certainly spent a year in South Africa which in normal times they might have expected to spend at home. The other two regiments, however, had spent a longer time away. It is quite correct that the 19th Hussars went abroad subsequent to the 16th Lancers, and therefore might be considered to have claims to have returned sooner. As pointed out last year, 117 however, to a distinguished relative of the noble Earl in another place the discrepancy in this case is due to the re-organisation scheme of 1897. I may add that the 16th Lancers are now under orders to return home next trooping season.