§ SIR JAMES LAWRENCEsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he can state the number of applications received from workmen discharged from the Dockyards for passages for themselves and families in the Troop Ships about to proceed to Canada; when the Troop Ships "Tamar" and "Crocodile" will sail; and, whether, if the two Troop Ships are found insufficient for the number wishing to emigrate, a third Troop Ship will be provided, in accordance with the announcement made by the First Lord of the Admiralty when introducing the Navy Estimates?
§ MR. CHILDERSIn reply, Sir, to the first Question of my hon. Friend, I have to say that the number of applications from workmen discharged from the dockyards for passages to Canada is for 445 souls, or 353 statute adults. This is irrespective of the applications from workmen discharged from the departments under the War Office, whose exact number I do not know. The Tamar will sail on the 1st and the Crocodile on the 7th of June. In reply to the third Question, I have to say that my statement in introducing the Navy Estimates was that "two or three" ships would take emigrants, and since then we have always spoken of two ships only. A third ship goes to Canada late in the autumn; but we are advised that it would be wrong to send emigrants by her, as they would land in Canada at a time when work would be got with difficulty. I fear that I could not in any case send additional troop-ships. Emigrants are taken because the ships are going for troops; but ships could not be sent for troops merely because emigrants want to go. The two ships I have mentioned will take 1,200 or 1,300 people.