asked the Secretary of State for War whether any reply has been given to a request for an alteration of paragraph 21, Regulations for Civilian subordinates, Army Clothing Department, that was sent to the War Office in February, 1912; and, if so, will he state the nature of the reply?

The request was found to involve points of detail which have taken some time to investigate, but a reply will be sent shortly.

asked whether the petition presented in 1911 by the crews of the Naval Ordnance vessels has yet been considered; and, if so, what decision, if any, has been arrived at?

The question is under the consideration of the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to a book just published, with the permission of the War Office, in which it is stated that our military affairs are at present in a deplorable state and that no recruit under twenty would be of any fighting value; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the present insufficiency of our military forces?

I need hardly say that the book referred to has no official sanction, seeing that it contains a severe indictment of the conduct of our military affairs by successive Governments for the past eighty years and a scathing condemnation of our present naval policy.

What is the name of the book?

I do not know that the hon. Gentleman would like to read the book. I cannot remember the name of its title, but I have a copy.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say how it is that the War Office, of which he is the head, gave direct permission for the publication of this book which contains far more than Lord Roberts has ever said, and yet they denounce Lord Roberts' scheme?

Did the War Office not give the permission because they thought the book could do no harm?

I could not answer that without further reference to this work. With regard to the point raised by the hon. Member (Mr. Hunt) there were grave irregularities, so I am informed, but they affected far more the Admiralty than the War Office. Of course, the particular statements referred to ought not to have been uttered, as I have already stated, but proper action will probably be taken by the Admiralty, and any further questions should be addressed to them.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why direct permission was given in the book by the War Office if they did not approve of it?

I have indicated—of course direct permission to make criticisms of such a kind would never conceivably be given—that any question as to further action to be taken should be addressed to the Admiralty, which, the hon. Member will see if he reads the book, is far more directly concerned than the War Office.

The hon. Member has carried it far enough for one day.

asked whether, in view of the fact that numbers of the National Reserve are to be mobilised with the Territorials in order to make up the deficiency in their numbers in case of sudden invasion, these men of the National Reserve will have had any reasonable amount of practice with the rifles provided for them; and whether they will ever have been drilled with the Territorials with whom they are to be mobilised?

As regards musketry, increased Grants are to be made to county associations in order that further facilities may be given to National Reservists to obtain rifle practice. In cases where the National Reservists has previously served in units of the Territorial Force and the corresponding forces which preceded them he will often have been drilled with the unit which he joins on mobilisation.

asked how many men there now are in the Territorial Force who passed their full musketry course up to 600 yards with the service rifle, and who also attended camp for fifteen days last year?

There are no statistics available at the War Office to enable me to give the required information.

Are we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman does not know whether these men are trained, or whether they can shoot or not?

No, sir, I am most anxious to give the hon. Gentleman full information, but he will see that if he puts down a question on certain matters it may involve immense labour, as it would do in this case, and that it would take months to prepare the answer.

asked what was the number of officers (by rank) on the Active List of the Regular Army, and the number of officers not upon the Active List who would be required for the complete mobilisation of the Expeditionary Force; and, in stating the number of the latter, what was the number of each rank which would be taken from each of the different sources of supply at present available?

asked what was the number of officers (by rank) on the Active List of the Regular Army who will be available for service at home in the event of the complete mobilisation of the Expeditionary Force and its dispatch overseas?

It is not considered expedient to publish any detailed information concerning the mobilisation arrangements of the Expeditionary Force and the force remaining in the country after its departure therefrom.

asked what was the number of recruits for the year 30th september, 1911, to 1st October, 1912, who joined the Militia and the Special Reserve, respectively, and who subsequently passed on from these respective forces to the Regular Army?

The figures of those men who joined the Regular Army in this period from the special Reserve are shown on page 107 of the General Annual Report, but these may include recruits of any previous year. The required information could only be obtained by going through each man's case at the record offices, which would take a very long time and involve much labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the present deficiency of horses, according to the latest Returns available for 1913, in the Regular Army and the Territorial Force, respectively; and what was the number of horses and of motor vehicles which it is estimated will be required in the event of the mobilisation and dispatch of the Expeditionary Force overseas, and in the event of the mobilisation of the Army Reserve and of the Territorial Force?

On the 28th February there was a deficiency of 209 horses on the Regular Establishment. The number of horses required on mobilisation amounts to 42,430 for the Expeditionary Force and 83,697 for the Territorial Force; and the number of motor vehicles required amounts to 1,260 and 531, respectively.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to paragraphs 26 and 27 of chapter III. of the Bengal Excise Manual, 1910, Vol. II., which provides that in the settlement of country liquor shops, when the bid reaches a figure beyond which no profit can be made, the presiding officer should stop the auction and exercise his discretion as to the person to whom the settlement should be given; whether he is aware that the Board of Revenue of Bihar and Orissa has issued a circular, dated 29th October, 1912, in which this restriction of the auction system is countermanded; whether it is in the public interest that vendors should be allowed to pay excessive licensing fees and so create the temptation to recoup themselves by a a resort to illegal practices; whether restrictions have been imposed upon the auction system in other provinces with salutary results; and whether, in view of these facts, he will make representations to the Government of India with a view to securing the readoption of the rule by the Government of Bihar and Orissa?

The Secretary of State is aware of the Bengal rule. He has not seen the circular of the Board of Revenue, Bihar and Orissa, to which my hon. Friend refers, and cannot therefore say what changes have been adopted or on what grounds, but he will make inquiry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in February, 1912, the Madras Legislative Council passed a resolution recommending a gradual reduction of the strength of arrack by two degrees in each of the first two years and by another degree in the third year, and the prohibition of the sale of arrack and toddy to persons below the age of sixteen years; and whether any orders have since been issued by the Government of Madras upon these two points?

The Government of Madras have prohibited, with effect from 1st April next, the sale of arrack and toddy to persons below the age of sixteen, and they have instructed the Board of Revenue to select and propose districts in which the experiment of reducing gradually the sale strength of arrack from thirty degress to thirty-five degrees under proof will be tried.

asked whether the Government has purchased an airship from the German Parseval Company and also the plans and specifications for constructing similar airships; and whether airships of this class will now be constructed in this country?

The Admiralty have placed an order for a German Parseval airship, but have obtained no rights for constructing this type of aircraft in this country.

asked how many aeroplanes we have at present with trained men for them actually available for war service at the present time?

I propose to make a full statement on this subject on the introduction of Army Estimates to-morrow.

asked what provision will be made by the Government of India for the mother and sisters of the late Lieutenant Bowers, of the Royal Indian Marine, who perished with Captain scott in the Antarctic expedition?

The matter is still under consideration.

asked what are the rules under which King's India cadetships are granted by the Secretary of State for India; who gives the nominations, and how the selections are made; and whether these cadetships include a remission of fees at sandhurst and the grant of £65, outfit allowance?

Nominations to King's India cadetships are made by the Secretary of State for India in Council in accordance with section 35 of the Act for the better Government of India (21 and 22 Vict., cap. 106), the rights conferred by that section on the sons of persons who have served in India having been continued by 23 and 24 Vict., cap. 100. selection is governed by the length and distinction of the father's service, a preference, other things being equal, being given to orphans. Full remission of fees at sandhurst is only granted in cases where, after due inquiry, the circumstances of the family are considered to justify such a concession, but in no case does a King's India cadet have to pay more than is laid down in the sandhurst Regulations for the son of a general or an admiral. The outfit allowance of £65 is only given to King's India cadets who are fatherless and in straitened circumstances.