§ MR. CAINE (Barrow-in-Furness)asked the Secretary of State for War, 260 If it is true that Captain Montgomery, of the 1st Cheshire Engineer Volunteers, who has been gazetted Major of the Mersey Division of the Submarine Miners, has had no experience in submarine mining, engineering, or yachting, whilst Captain Beloe, his senior officer, was willing to accept the appointment, and that Captain Beloe is a civil engineer by profession, has been two months at Chatham in the Submarine Mining Department, three years in the Submarine Mining Service as a Volunteer, and is an experienced yachtsman; and, if it be so, would he explain why has Captain Beloe been superseded?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)Yes, Sir; Captain Montgomery, of the 1st Cheshire Engineer Volunteers, has been gazetted Major of the Mersey Division of Submarine Miners. Captain Beloe was not appointed to the command of the corps, because, in the opinion of the Commanding Royal Engineer and of the General Officer commanding the Northern District, his appointment would not have been for the interest of the Service.