§ CAPTAIN COLOMB (Tower Hamlets, Bow, &c.)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether each vessel named in the "Programme of the Naval Review" will have its "total complement" actually on board on the 23rd instant; why, in the case of torpedo boats, is the column "total complement" left blank; what will be the total number, all ranks, of the Royal Navy, exclusive of Marine forces, taking part in the Review; what is the number of non-combatants included in the total; what will be the total number, all ranks, of the Royal Marine Artillery and Infantry respectively taking part in the Review; what proportion of the aggregate force on board the mastless vessels will be furnished by the Marine Forces; and, what proportion of the aggregate force on board the masted vessels will be furnished by the Marine Forces?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)Each vessel named in the programme of the Naval Review will be completely manned and fit for battle. The omission of the complement of four torpedo boats in G flotilla is a clerical oversight, which was not observed till after the programmes were printed. Their complement is 16 each, as in the case of other torpedo boats of the same class. The total number, all ranks, of the Royal Navy, exclusive of Marine forces, taking part in the Naval Review will be approximately 13,938. The number of non-combatants included will be approximately 2,342. The total number of Royal Marine Artillery and Infantry will be approximately 2,263; but without going through the whole of the Embarkation Returns it is impossible to separate them. The proportion of the aggregate force on board the mastless vessels furnished by the Marine forces will be about l–7th, or as 1,018 is to 7,153. The proportion of the aggregate force on board the masted vessels furnished by the Marine forces will be about 2–15ths, or as 1,245 is to 9,048.