§ MR. GOURLEYasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If it be correct that the Reserve Squadron now under the command of His Royal Highness Admiral the Duke of Edinburgh is about to cruise in the Baltic and visit Cronstadt; if so, whether for the purpose of educating officers and men in a knowledge of North Sea and Baltic navigation, or merely for purposes of International courtesy; whether the vessels will be navigated by special North Sea and Baltic pilots; and, how many Coast-guardsmen are being sent afloat for summer cruising with the Squadron?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Reserve Squadron will take its usual six weeks' cruise this year in the North Sea and the Baltic. The object of the expedition is to exercise the crews in evolutions under steam and sail, in gunnery, and other exercises, and to improve the knowledge of the officers in the navigation and pilotage of those seas. No pilots will be needed or carried, beyond the captains and navigating officers of the ships. The number of Coastguards-men on board the Squadron is 66 chief officers and 964 men, who are distributed among six of the eight ships. The whole complement of the Fleet will amount together to about 4,400 officers and men.