HC Deb 16 July 1866 vol 184 cc822-3
SIR LAWRENCE PALK

said, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he will inquire into the alleged grievances of the Masters and Staff Commanders, with a view to their redress; and whether he will take steps to ascertain whether it would not be for the benefit of the country and Her Majesty's Service that the Second Class Cadets should be retained in Her Majesty's Navy?

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON

said, in answer to the first part of his hon. Friend's Question, he must state that the case of the masters and staff-commanders of the navy was not officially before the Government, but the grievances of those or any other officer of the navy would be taken into consideration by the Board of Admiralty. With regard to the second part of his hon. Friend's Question, he found that for some months past the late Board of Admiralty had discontinued the entry of second-class cadets, from which it might be inferred that they intended to discontinue the class of masters. As that was a most grave matter, the present Board of Admiralty would not commit themselves to any decision upon it until they had been able to give it their serious consideration.