MR. GORSTasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether a battalion of 900 Royal Marines and Marine Artillery, under the command of a Lieutenant Colonel of Marines, was landed in July last at Alexandria from Her Majesty's Troopship "Tamar," but was not placed under the Army Regulation Act for some days; whether during this period the Naval officer commanding the "Tamar" had to go ashore daily to dispose of defaulters and prisoners in the battalion, although he was of standing junior to the Marine officer commanding the battalion; and, whether such change will be made in the status of the officers of Royal Marines as will prevent such an occurrence for the future?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe Marines who were landed from the Tamar were not placed under the Army Act owing to express orders to that effect from the Board of Admiralty, the reason being that it was not at that time probable that they would permanently form part of the military force at Alexandria. As soon as they became incorporated in the military force, they were made subject to the Army Act for purposes of discipline. Until this was done, they were, no doubt, while on shore at Alexandria, in a somewhat anomalous position, though I cannot without inquiry say whether the facts were precisely as stated in the hon. and learned. Member's Question. The anomalies which arise in such circumstances, and in certain other cases, have for some time been under the consideration of the Board of Admiralty, and we will see whether any modification of existing arrangements is necessary.