§ MR. MITCHELLsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether, in the event of the transfer of Singapore from his Department to that of the Colonies, full provision will be made for the continued employment of naval officers holding command under him in the Straits of Malacca?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he was sorry to say that he did not understand the purport of the Question of the hon. Member. No naval officer, that he was aware of, held command at Singapore under the Government of India.
§ MR. MITCHELLsaid, the purport of his Question was this:—There were certain Officers commanding vessels under the control of the Indian Department at this moment in the Straits of Malacca, and their impression was that in the event of the transfer of Singapore to the Colonial Department, their services would be altogether dispensed with, and they would be replaced by officers of the Royal Navy.
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he should be glad if the hon. Member would repeat his Question on a future day, after the Bill for transferring Singapore to the Colonial Department had been introduced.