Question
asked the Surveyor General of the Ordnance, Whether, looking at the large economy as regards establishments effected by the amalgamation in 1870 under the Control Department of the various Supply Departments of the Army, and to the fact that the duties formerly performed by each Department separately are now interchanged between the several cadres forming the Sub-supply and Transport Branch of the Control Department, he will place all the Officers employed in that branch of the Service on the same footing as regards relative rank, pay, and numbers in each grade as that enjoyed by the Officers of the Commissariat cadre?
I have, Sir, to state that the Regulation as regards relative rank and pay of the several cadres of the Supply and Transport sub-departments are already identical. The only difference occurs as regards the numbers in the different grades—a difference which has arisen in consequence of there having been in the Commissariat department, as formerly organized, no officers of the relative rank of lieutenant, while officers of that grade were the most numerous in the other large de- partments. After all reductions and retirements had been effected, there remained in the Commissariat cadre a considerable number of officers surplus to the normal establishment of the new department, and it was settled in order to avoid the hardship and expense of placing them all on half-pay, that they should remain on the Active List and be reduced gradually, a process which is being carried out. The same reasoning did not apply to the other large departments. So far from there being in them supernumerary officers, it became necessary to make numerous promotions to bring them up to the normal establishment, and there appears consequently no reason to comply with the proposal made by my hon. Friend.