HC Deb 13 April 1875 vol 223 cc784-6
MR. HANBURY TRACY

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, How many gentlemen forming a scientific staff have been nominated to accompany the Arctic Expedition; and, if, as in accordance with his statement, the cabin accommodation is too limited to enable him to appoint a chaplain, he will take into his consideration the desirability of cancelling the nomination of one of these scientific officials, so as to appoint a gentleman who might combine a special scientific qualification with that also of being in holy orders?

MR. HUNT

As there are several Questions on the Notice Paper relating to this subject for future days, and as it appears that considerable interest is taken in the matter, perhaps I may be allowed to give a rather fuller explanation than I could do by simply answering the Question of the hon. Gentleman. The Arctic Expedition is to consist of two ships, one to carry 62 men, and the other 59—that is, officers and men in- cluded. Those ships are intended to winter about 200 miles apart. None of Her Majesty's Ships carrying less than 170 men are provided with a chaplain. Nevertheless, considering the peculiar nature of the service, and the length of time during which the Expedition is likely to be away, I should have been glad to have treated the case specially, and to have appointed a chaplain to each ship; but the difficulty has arisen which always is experienced with regard to Arctic Expeditions—namely, a want of space. There is no instance, so far as I can learn, by a search of the history of these Expeditions, of any chaplain having been carried in an Arctic ship, except in 1821, when a gentleman who had been appointed Astronomer to a previous Expedition had, before the starting of the Expedition of 1821, taken orders. He was appointed Astronomer to the ship and chaplain also. Each ship is to carry stores and provisions for three years, and it may be well supposed that they occupy a considerable space. With regard to the ships that have been selected for the purpose, the space in their holds is considerably curtailed by the internal strengthening that they have received in the Dockyards in order to fit them to encounter the ice. In addition to that the usual compliment of officers for ships of this size has been supplemented in order to provide for the sledging parties. The calculation is that five sledging parties can be equipped from each ship, with an officer at the head of each party. Besides the extra number of executive officers we have appointed two doctors to each ship. That, of course, adds to the amount of accommodation required. The result is that room for only one scientific person can be found on board each ship; and my hon. Friend asks me whether the nomination of one of these gentlemen cannot be cancelled to allow a scientific chaplain to be taken instead. Supposing that were done with regard to one of the ships, we should still leave one ship without a chaplain, and the difficulty of complying with this suggestion is further enhanced by the fact that the scientific members of the Expedition were not selected by the Admiralty, but by the Royal Society, for their peculiar qualifications for the post. I have made inquiries of the Admiral Superintendent at Portsmouth, under whoso direction the ships have been fitted out, as to the possibility of finding by any means room for a chaplain on board in addition to those who are intended to take part in the Expedition; and what he says is this— It would not be possible to do so without seriously encroaching upon the space required for provisions and stores. The fact is that every cubic foot of space has been appropriated in the most exact manner for different purposes connected with the Expedition. I think my hon. Friend and the House will see that, under these circumstances, the difficulty of appointing a chaplain to the Expedition is very great.

MR. CHILDERS

May I ask how many naval officers are appointed to each ship?

MR. HUNT

There will be a captain and commander on board the foremost ship, and a captain on board the second ship; four lieutenants and one sub-lieutenant besides in each ship, in addition to the engineers and medical officers.