HC Deb 03 September 1886 vol 308 cc1191-2
MR. M. HEALY (Cork)

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether any, and, if so, what, steps were taken in the matter of providing troop ships with Catholic chaplains, pursuant to the undertaking given by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 27th March 1882; whether it is the fact that the Catholic seamen and marines of the Channel Fleet have no means of attend- ing mass on Sunday unless when in port; whether it frequently happens that the Fleet is not in port on Sunday; whether it is the fact that, when the Catholics on board have no opportunity of attending service on shore, they are required to attend the service of the Protestant chaplain, or whether it is the practice for them to do so; whether it is the fact that there are at present over 400 Catholic seamen and marines on board H.M.S. Agincourt; and, whether the Government will undertake to provide every troop ship having a considerable proportion of Catholics on board with a Catholic chaplain?

THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)

The steps taken were that whenever more than 300 Roman Catholic soldiers were embarked in any of the Indian troopships, a Catholic chaplain should be sent in the ship and the necessary accommodation provided for him. The Catholic seamen and marines of the Channel Fleet have no means of attending mass on Sundays, except when in port. The requirements of the Service frequently necessitate the Fleet being at sea on Sundays. It is not the case that Catholics are required to attend the service of the Protestant chaplain at any time, and it is not the practice for them to do so. The number of Catholics on board the Agincourt at the present time is 127, out of a complement of 883, which is much above the average, Roman Catholics constituting only 10 per cent of the Fleet generally. The Admiralty have not added Roman Catholic chaplains to the complement of troopships, but a cabin will be provided for them when the Secretary of State for War considers it desirable that a Roman Catholic chaplain should accompany the troops.

MR. M. HEALY

said, he had not understood the noble Lord to answer that part of the Question which inquired whether it was not the practice to make Roman Catholics attend the services of the Protestant chaplains?

LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

said, he had answered that they were not required to attend the services, and it was not the practice to make them do so.

MR. M. HEALY

Is the noble Lord aware whether it is the practice for them to attend?

[No reply.]