HC Deb 11 April 1856 vol 141 cc872-4
CAPTAIN STUART

said, he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Clerk of the Ordnance whether it was the fact that the operatives in the Royal dockyards and arsenal at Woolwich still continue to be employed on Sunday; and whether the responsibility of commanding such employment rested with the heads of departments at Woolwich, or with the authorities of the War Office.

MR. MONSELL

said, that as regarded the dockyards at Woolwich he had no answer to give to the question, as it belonged to the First Lord of the Admiralty to do so. With regard to the arsenal at Woolwich, he, in the first place, must protest against the inference which the question involved, that it had been a custom in the arsenal during the two years of the war to employ a large number of men on Sundays. It was only under certain special circumstances, during a very limited time, that such a thing occurred, and no person was ever during the greatest pressure of the war employed permanently on Sundays. On two occasions some persons were employed for a few hours on Sundays, in the carriage department; and on Easter Sunday, in consequence of the breaking of some machinery, which was much required, a few persons were also employed.

SIR CHARLES WOOD

said, that as regarded the dockyards at Woolwich, it was not true that men had been employed on Sundays.

MR. HORSFALL

said, he would also beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the circumstances which led to the employment of a large number of workmen in the dockyard at Portsmouth on Sunday last, and whether he would give directions for the discontinuance of such a procedure for the future?

SIR CHARLES WOOD

said, the circumstances under which the men were employed were these. A certain amount of work had been contracted for by contractors, to be done in the dockyard within a certain time, and the contract could not have been completed unless the workmen had been employed on Sunday; and it was permitted, as he thought very unfortunately, but orders had been given to stop such proceedings in future.

MR. NAPIER

said, he had a notice on the paper to the effect that he would call the attention of the House to the compulsory employment of the workmen at Portsmouth on Sunday last in the dockyard, under an order given by those in authority over them; that he understood that nearly 1,000 men were so employed, contrary to their convictions of what was right; and that they were employed, not in any work of necessity, but in getting ready gun-boats for the approaching naval review. The petition on the subject was signed by ten incumbents of Portsmouth, and by the Wesleyan and Baptist ministers, and they expressed their opinion that the example, besides being objectionable in itself, might lead to dangerous results. After the expression of opinion which had taken place in that House on the question of the observance of Sunday, the disregard of it in the instance in question was greatly to be regretted.