HC Deb 18 March 1913 vol 50 cc840-1
39. Mr. PETO

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the reference in the "Shipping Gazette" of 1st March to the terms on which Royal Naval Reserve officers can be transferred from the merchant service to the Royal Navy, with regard to promotion to the rank of commander in cases of exceptional services, is intended to indicate the highest rank which is open to any such officers transferred to the Royal Navy; and; if so, whether he is aware that the terms offered are not such as to induce the most useful and promising officers in the merchant service to join the Royal Navy?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The answer to the question is in the negative. A supplementary lieutenant who is promoted to commander can reach the highest rank in the naval service.

40. Mr. PETO

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in regard to the forthcoming appointment of a certain number of officers of the merchant service as lieutenants in the Royal Navy, the inducements offered to these officers are to be inferior to those which were offered when last the Admiralty availed themselves of the services of merchant service officers in a similar way; whether it is proposed to restrict the pay to 10s. per diem and to stop the 2s. daily mess allowance in addition, which was previously granted; and whether he will consider the advisability of offering such inducements as are likely to lead to the acquisition of the very best and most efficient talent from the merchant service?

Mr. CHURCHILL

Owing to the abolition of the messing allowance, the full pay of supplementary lieutenants will be slightly less than the scale in force when officers were previously entered. In other respects the inducements are the same, and in regard to the chances of promotion the new supplementary lieuenants will be at a distinct advantage. The pay will start at 10s. a day and rise to 16s. a day without messing allowance. This with the other advantages attaching to service in the Royal Navy will, it is expected, attract most suitable officers from the Royal Naval Reserve.