THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
235
of by the Officers of the late Indian Armies, as were | be reduced, there must of course have followed a
admitted by the Commission on the Memorials of
Indian Officers to have arisen by a departure from
the assurances given by Parliament, by 21 and 22
Vict. cap. 106, and 23 and 24 Vict. cap. 100."
14. Her Majesty was pleased in consequence to
General Sir John appoint a Commission, composed of
Aitchison, K.C.B. the Officers named in the margin, who
Lieut.-General Sir
Robert Napier, were instructed, with reference to the
K.C.B.
terms of the above address, to enquire
Major-General Sir
S.J. Cotton, K.C.B. into and examine whether the measures
Major-General H. above referred to " are effectual and
Eyre.
Major-General C. sufficient for the purpose of removing
A. Browne.
Major-General D. such causes of complaint as have been
Russel, C.B.
Major-General Sir reported in the terms hereinbefore
W. M. Coghlan, stated by the said first mentioned
K.C.B. Commissioners to have arisen by a
departure from the assurances given by Parliament,
or for the purpose of giving a counterbalancing benefit
in any cases where any rules as to pay, pension,
allowances, and privileges, and the like advantages as
regards promotion and otherwise, which existed when
the Acts above referred to were passed, have not
been retained; and in what respects and to what
extent, if at all, such measures fall short of what may
be required for removing the causes of such com-
plaints, or for giving such counterbalancing benefit
in lieu thereof."
15. I now forward, for your Excellency's informa-
tion a copy of the report of this Commission, dated
the 14th September, 1865.
16. In carrying out their instructions, the Com-
missioners state that they have arranged the points
upon which they have to submit their opinion in the
following order :-
(1.) The retention on the cadres of Native regi-
ments of Cavalry and Infantry of the names
of Officers transferred to the new Line regi-
ments of Her Majesty's Army.
(2.) Arrangements for regulating the promotion
of Colonels of the Indian Army, of date subse-
quent to the 17th February, 1861, to the rank
of General Officer.
(3.) The filling up of only half the vacancies
occasioned by the retirement of Lieutenant-
Colonels upon increased pensions from 31st
December, 1861, and the retention of the
names of the retired Lieutenant-Colonels upon
the regimental gradation lists, in order to
regulate subsequent promotions to Colonel
with Colonel's allowances.
(4.) The rule under which Lieutenant-Colonels
are to be promoted to Colonel with Colonel's
allowance, on the completion of twelve years'
service in the rank of regimental Lieutenant-
Colonel.
(5) The superscssion of regimental Officers by
Officers of the Staff Corps.
17. Upon these several points they report as
follows:-
That the measures adopted upon the first point
1st Point. have been effectual and sufficient:
2nd Point.
That they consider the measures adopted in relation
to the second point effectual and
sufficient, so far as the arrangements
connected with the Ordnance Service come within
the scope of their inquiry.
3rd Point.
they are of opinion that there exists much misappre-
hension upon this point, which they therefore
endeavour to remove.
19. With reference to the large reductions made
in the Indian Army, they state that
whatever the number of regiments to
Para. 16.
corresponding reduction in the number of Colonelcies,
and, consequently, of Colonel's allowances; and on
the arrangement by which that reduction was effected
at the same time that special inducements were held
out to the Lieutenant-Colonels to retire, they justly
remark-
Para. 18.
"This was intended as a means of making the
retardation of succession to the rank
of regimental Colonel with Colonel's
allowance, a gradual process, and so of making it less
immediately felt," and they sum up their remarks
under this head in the following words :-
Paras, 28 and 28.
"Under this point, therefore, we are of opinion
that, if promotions* be allowed in con-
tinuation of the promotions already
made from the 1st January, 1862, to complete the
number above indicated, no loss will have been
sustained, cither by regiments or by Officers, of
anything they could be entitled to claim under this
head."
20. The Commission appear to have overlooked the
fact, that promotions to an extent even beyond those
now recommended by them were actually made under
the authority of Sir C. Wood's Despatch No. 194 of
the 17th June, 1864, in continuation of those made
on the 1st January, 1862.
21. A reference, however, to that Despatch, paras.
51, 52, and 80, and to General Order by your Govern-
ment, No. 632 of the 4th August, 1864, will show that
with a view of rendering the effect of the reduction
in the number of Lieutenant-Colonels equal in the
three Presidencies, promotions were made in Madras
and Bombay to the following extent:--
Madras, Lieut.-Colonels
Bombay,
ditto
Cavalry. Infantry.
1 4
0 3
22. Those promotions were made from the 16th
July, 1864-the date of the receipt in India of the
Despatch authorizing them. I shall not object,
however, to their being antedated to the 1st January,
1862, in accordance with the views of Sir John
Aitchison's Commission.
23. The Commission discuss the fourth point by
endeavouring to ascertain the average
4th Point. period served heretofore in the grade
of regimenta Lieutenant-Colonel.
24. This, taking the mean of two periods of fifteen
and twenty years respectively, they show to have been
11:02 years.
25. This being the case, and having already stated
in para. 23 of the Report that, "supposing a reduced
establishment or regiments to have been determined
upon and published in December, 1861, Her Majesty's
Government would, of course, have been distinctly
entitled to declare the difference of number, namely,
fifteen, supernumerary, and, therefore, if thought
good, liable to the ordinary process of absorption,
more or less gradual," and shown that the course
followed did actually make the inevitable retardation
of promotion a gradual process, and so less imme-
diately felt, the Commission have notwithstanding
recorded their opinion upon this point in the follow-
ing words
"Taking into consideration, then, that none of the
Lieutenant-Colonels promoted prior to
1st January, 1862, have benefitted by
Para. 49.
any of the measures which have operated to accelerate
promotion among their juniors; that, on the contrary,
the changes which have occurred have been to their
detriment, as having lessened their chances of employ-
ment in commands, and that their succession to
Colonelcies in the ordinary course from the removal
of their retired seniors must henceforth be slower

• Viz. :-
  Madras, Lieut.-Colonels
  Bombay, ditto
  Cavalry. Infantry.
  4
  0
  1

18. Upon the third point the Commission state
    that, from the views which have been
    expressed by many of the memorialists,