§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he is aware that the Clyde Brigade of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers has no facilities for acquiring the gunnery practice on shore enjoined 690 by General Order, No. 5,981, of 18th October, 188G, as necessary to enable the men to earn the Government grant; and, whether, in view of the fact that this valuable force, numbering 140 men and officers, will have to be disbanded if they cannot earn the Government grant, he will consider the possibility of allowing them, at any rate for this year, of going through their drill on board the gunboat Forrester, at present stationed on the Clyde? The hon. Gentleman also asked, whether, the Forrester having left the Clyde, the Government would arrange to have another gunboat stationed there?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)Directions were given last week that the Clyde Brigade might drill on the gunboat Forrester, then lying off Greenock. The hon. Gentleman had sent him a telegram stating that the Forrester had since then left for Glasgow. He had no information on the subject; but would make inquiries. Speaking generally, the Government were most anxious to afford all facilities to the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers to train and drill; but there would be some difficulty in permanently stationing a gun boat at each place, as they were rather short of these vessels at present. He would, however, inquire and see what could be done.