MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state, without prejudice to the Public Service, what is the T.A. system of signalling alluded to in the Victoria Court Martial as having been invented by Admiral Tryon, and in what way it differs from the ordinary naval signals; whether this T.A. system was first tried in the Channel Squadron, under Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Sey-mour in the years 1890–1; whether any Report upon it was made by the Admiral in command of that Squadron; and whether the Report was favourable or the reverse?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHAs a general rule, it would be prejudicial to the interests of the Public Service to give answers relating to the Signal Books in use in the Fleet. But, in this case, there is no objection to stating that the T.A. system of manœuvring is only an elaboration of a signal that has been in the Signal Book many years. The effect is to manœuvre the Squadron by closely watching and following the Admiral's motions without signals. It was tried by Sir Michael Culme-Seymour in the Channel Squadron, and the Report, although favourable as a whole, suggested several minor alterations.