§ MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is correct that the Naval Manoeuvres conducted by Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon on the China Station, between the 17th and 20th March, resulted in the following casualties:—A second-class torpedo boat cut almost in halves by one of the boats of the attacking squadron by a blunder on the part of the engine room artificers; that the Alacrity despatch vessel, with the Commander-in-Chief on board, ran ashore in a fog whilst steaming 12 knots an hour, carrying away four square feet of her prow, and that her repairs will occupy at least three weeks, and that all the attacking boats were more or less injured by collisions; whether these collisions were caused by the boats being worked by artificers in place of certificated engineers; if it is correct that the Im- 567 Périeuse flagship, in returning' into Hong Kong Harbour, collided with the German flagship there at anchor by not making sufficient allowance for the tide; and what inquiry he intends making with regard to the manoeuvres and casualties?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON',) Middlesex, EalingThe casualties referred to by the hon. Member did, unfortunately, occur during the course of the recent Naval Manos uvres on the China Station. The Report of the grounding of the Alacrity is now under the consideration of the Admiralty; but no official Reports on the other casualties have yet been received. Until these Reports are received the Admiralty will not be in a position to come to any decision with regard to the circumstances in question.