§ MR. HERBERT KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN (Kent, Faversham)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the expression of regret by the Coroner's Jury in the recent Barracouta ease at Sheerness—
That the Admiralty had not carried out the recommendations of the Jury in the Thistle explosion in 1869, by providing hospital accommodation for injured men at Sheerness, and thus caused the necessity of sending cases to Chatham;whether he is aware that there is already at Sheerness a Military Hospital which is never full, where cases of accident could be treated; and whether he will take immediate steps to put an end to the unnecessary suffering caused by the present arrangements?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONMy attention has been drawn to the rider to the verdict of the Coroner's Jury. Since the Thistle inquiry the Admiralty have made such fur their arrangements as seemed desirable. Increased accommodation has been provided at Sheerness Naval Barracks for cases of accident, and a vessel has been specially fitted for the proper transport of injured men, when deemed fit, to Chatham Hospital, an important establishment, where patients receive greater conforts than could be afforded locally. The Army Hospital of 36 beds at Sheerness is considered to be sufficient only for military requirements, but in the event of the Naval Infirmary at Sheerness being already full of serious cases, any naval patient who might not be in a condition fit for removal to Chatham would, no doubt, be accommodated in the Military Hospital if there were a bed to spare. No unnecessary suffering is now caused, as every precaution is taken to prevent it, and only such men as are considered by the medical officers on the spot as fit to be removed and as likely to benefit by the change are sent to Chatham.
§ MB. H. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENIn consequence of the answer of the noble Lord I beg to give notice that I will call attention to the subject.