§ MR. HENNESSYsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Government are prepared to carry into effect the recommen lations of the late board of Admiralty respecting the treatment of Catholic Sailors in the Royal Navy?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, that strictly speaking no recommendation on the part of the late Board of Admiralty had been left with their successors. There existed a letter from the late First Lord (Sir John Pakington) to Lord Derby, in answer to a memorandum to which no signature was affixed. The memorandum asked for further facilities for Roman Catholic worship in the fleet, in the hospitals, and other establishments connected with the navy; and it had been answered by certain remarks of the right hon. Baronet (Sir John Pakington) to Lord Derby in which it was distinctly stated that the opinion of the Board of Admiralty had not been taken on the question. Consequently the Government had no knowledge of any proceedings having been taken by their predecessors with the view of giving further facilities for Roman Catholic worship. He could therefore only state to the hon. Gentleman that the present Board of Admiralty were most anxious, wherever they could do so consistently with the discipline of the Navy, to afford proper facilities of that nature to Roman Catholics and members of other sects dissenting from the Church of England.