§ MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if it is correct, as reported in the public journals, that great difficulty is experienced in manning the ships detailed for the Naval Manœuvreqs, and that, in consequence of the scarcity of Officers, Commanders will have to serve as Lieutenants, and Warrant Officers take command of torpedo boats; and, whether any, and what number of, men belonging to the First and Second Class Naval Reserves, apart from the Coastguard Reserves, are to be employed in the Manœuvres?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONIt is not the case that great difficulty has been experienced in manning the ships detailed for the Naval Manœuvres. The complement of every ship is complete without the Reserves being called upon. A certain number of pensioners, principally stokers and domestics, about 150 in all, have been entered to take the place of men belonging to harbour ships. In the larger cruisers Commanders have been appointed instead of Lieutenants as senior executive officers, and some of the torpedo boats have been advisedly placed in the charge of Warrant Officers. Such arrangements have always been contemplated in the event of war. 21 officers of the Royal Naval Reserve will be employed during the Manœuvres; but none of the men will be called up. This can only be done by Royal Proclamation, which the present circumstances do not render it necessary or 984 desirable to issue, as it entails much inconvenience upon the shipping interests of the country.