§ GENERAL SIR WILLIAM CROSSMAN (Portsmouth)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that great dissatisfaction 1401 exists amongst the Officers of the Engineer Branch of the Royal Navy, as regards their rank and emoluments; and, whether, considering the very important duties and great responsibility now thrown upon these officers, he will appoint a Committee to inquire into the grounds of such dissatisfaction?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI am not aware that great dissatisfaction exists among the officers of the Engineer Branch of the Royal Navy as regards their rank and emoluments, neither has any representation to that effect been made to the Admiralty through the proper channels of communication. A Committee was appointed, in 1885, on which the Engineer Branch was represented to inquire into the relative rank of the several branches of the Service, and effect was given to their recommendations. I do not propose to re-open this question by the appointment of a fresh Committee.