HC Deb 17 March 1887 vol 312 c579

The Regulations both for officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve have been revised and consolidated. Provision has been made for bringing the Royal Naval Reserve into closer association with the Service by allowing officers and men to volunteer for service in the Navy, either in sea-going ships or for a course of instruction in the Gunnery and Torpedo Schools. The officers who undergo a year's training in a sea-going ship are to receive, while they remain on the Active List, an annual retaining foe of £20 to £25 a-year. Both officers and men are showing readiness to avail themselves of these opportunities, and in order to facilitate their doing so, it has been arranged that the Sub-Lieutenants, Royal Naval Reserve, who are of a certain age, shall, in order to enable them to mess with officers of similar age, be granted the temporary rank of Acting Lieutenant.

An important alteration in the Regulations has been introduced, by which men can, in time of emergency, be allowed to volunteer for service without being called out by Royal Proclamation.

The enrolment of stokers for the Royal Naval Reserve has not hitherto proved so successful as was anticipated, but this was owing, probably, to insufficient advertisement of the new scheme.

Some alteration in the Regulations, combined with a fuller knowledge of the advantages held out, will, it is believed, lead to a great increase in the number of firemen coming forward to enter the Reserve, especially under the stimulating influence of the arrangements recently made with the White Star and Cunard Companies.