GENERAL FEASER (Lambeth, N.)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether the applications from Lieu- 1066 tenants, Royal Navy, to resign their commissions have been refused, contrary to usual custom in peace time; and, if so, whether it is necessary to have recourse to the enforced service of officers in consequence of the serious incompleteness in the establishment of Lieutenants in the Royal Navy?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)It is the case that during the latter part of last year applications from lieutenants, Royal Navy, to resign were, unless under very exceptional circumstances, refused. It was considered necessary to do so in consequence of the dearth of officers at the time; caused principally by insufficient entries of cadets in past years, and partly by the increased complements of lieutenants allowed to ships in commission. This necessity was, however, of a temporary nature, and is passing away. It is by no means intended to retain officers who wish to resign their commissions beyond the time during which it is considered indispensable in the public interests that they should remain. The Admiralty have no wish to retain officers in the Navy against their will.