§ Colonel NOLANasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If his attention has been called to the declaration on the 1st August 1879 of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the then First Lord of the Admiralty had a difficulty in promising to meet the wishes of the Catholic Members on the subject of Catholic Chaplains for troopships, because this subject required the authority of departments other than the Admiralty, but that he, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking for himself and his colleagues in the Government, would do their best to get carried out the proposal made with regard to the appointment, in certain cases, of Catholic Chaplains to troopships; and, if the present Chancellor of the Exchequer would do his best to get carried out the promise made by the late Chancellor of the Exchequer in his official capacity?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUEE (Mr. GLADSTONE),in reply, said, that neither the attention of the Secretary of State for War nor of the First Lord of the Admiralty had been drawn to this subject until the Question of the hon. and gallant Member appeared. All he could say at present was that he believed there was no difficulty in providing accommodation for Catholic chaplains; and his right hon. Friend at the head of the War Department and his noble Friend at the head of the Admiralty would carefully consider the best course to be adopted.