§ ADMIRAL FIELD (Sussex, Eastbourne)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will lay upon the Table, before the Navy Estimates are considered, a short Return, from 1866 to 1891 iuclusive, showing separately the number of Petty Officers, Seamen, Marines, Engine Room Artificers, and Stokers, who have declined to re-engage at the expiration of their first period of 10 or 12 years' service; the number who re-entered the Navy within 12 months after taking their discharge; the number who may have joined the First Class Naval Reserve; and the total number who have left the service altogether; and whether the Admiralty will consider if steps can be taken on the first entry of 738 boys in our training ships that the engagement then signed shall include five years' service in the First Class Naval Reserve with a short service pension, with a view to retain these valuable men in a Pensioners' Reserve for service in time of war?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingI am afraid I am unable to give exactly the information my hon. and gallant Friend desires. It would take the Department considerable time to get out the details for one particular year; but if my hon. and gallant Friend will refer to a Return which was presented to the House in 1890 (No. 287), he will find he will derive from that a good deal of the information he desires. As regards the second question, the matter was carefully considered, and the Admiralty came to the conclusion that on the whole it was better not to act on the suggestion, as it might seriously interfere with the re-engagement of men and with Coastguard arrangements.