§ MR. DE LISLE (Leicestershire, Mid)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If he can inform the House what are the exceptional measures that will have to be taken in time of war to provide the requisite number of Lieutenants and Sub-Lieutenants to serve as watch-keepers, and to take command of torpedo and picket boats, and how many hours watching out of every 24 their Lordships consider to be within the range of non-injurious duty for the average Naval Officer?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)The exceptional measures alluded to would be, speaking generally, to call out all officers over whom the Admiralty had control, and who may be required—whether in the Reserves, retired, or specially employed. It has been generally held in the Services that three watches, or eight hours out of the 24, are the range of non-injurious watch-keeping duty which an officer can be called upon to perform continuously.