§ ADMIRAL MAYNE (Pembroke and Haverfordwest)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has appointed a Committee to inquire into the condition of the Royal Naval Reserve; and whether the scope of the inquiry includes the Coastguard, so that the Committee can consider and report upon the whole question of Naval Reserves of all sorts; and, if not, whether he will enlarge its scope to that extent?
§ ٭ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Baling)In the Memorandum attached to the Naval Estimates of 1891–92 I fully explained the object and scope of the inquiries of the Committee I propose to appoint. Their work must necessarily be confined to questions relating to the Royal Naval Reserve—that is, to the officers and men of the Mercantile Marine who compose this force. It would not be advisable to mix up with this inquiry any questions affecting the 1063 officers and men who are part of the effective permanent force of the Royal Navy.