MR. CORRYsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the proposed scheme for the abolition of the rank of Master, which the First Lord of the Admiralty has stated is to be laid before Parliament previously to its final adoption, will specify what increase it would occasion in the numbers on the Active Lists to which the Officers now in the Line of Masters would be removed; whether, in order to obviate stagnation of promotion from those Lists so increased it will provide for a proportionate increase of the Superior Lists; and whether it will comprise an Estimate of its immediate and prospective effects on the amount of the Vote for Half-pay and Retirement to Officers of the Navy?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETreplied that the proposal of the Admiralty, which would he laid upon the table of the House, would give full information upon all these matters. He would take that opportunity of giving notice that it was his intention to move for leave to introduce three Bills—one for making better provision with respect to the wills of deceased Seamen and Marines; the second, for the better disposal of the effects of deceased Seamen under the control of the Admiralty; and the third, for the regulation of the Pay and Pensions in the Royal Navy.
§ SIR LAWRENCE PALKsaid, he wished to ask, when the scheme with respect to the Masters would be laid before the House?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, he could not then state, as the subject was a very difficult one; but he was anxious to produce it at the earliest possible moment.
§ In reply to a question from Mr. C. FORSTER,
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, that no information had been received at the Admiralty of the loss of Her Majesty's schooner Eclipse, in New Zealand, but they had heard of the destruction of a private schooner of the same name.