DR. R. M'DONALDI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, as was recommended by the Crofters' Commission, the Government will cause a training ship to be stationed in Stornoway, in order to utilise the services of a large number of young men anxious for such employment, in view of the deficiency which this year exists in the number of Naval Reserve men, and in the interests of the Island of Lewis?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI think it would have been more satisfactory if this question had been addressed to my noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty; but in reply to the question of the hon. Member, I have to inform him that drill ships for the Royal Naval Reserve are only placed where there are no batteries. At Stornoway there is the largest battery the Admiralty has anywhere, and between 1,900 and 2,000 men are trained at it. There is no difficulty in maintaining the numbers of the Royal Naval Reserve voted; but when an increase of the force is ordered, the additional numbers are not all at once available. If a training ship for boys is referred to, the Admiralty could not recommend one being placed so far North. If boys are willing to join the Royal Navy from Lewis, they will, of course, be received, as are boys from any other part of the coast.