§ MR. W. ALLEN (Newcastle-under-Lyme)I beg to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty will he explain on what grounds the Chief Constructor of Portsmouth Dockyard has given orders to Mr. Woolven, his assistant, that no fitter, changeman, or leading - man is to be employed on board the Majestic, now being laid down; and why Mr. Aslett, an Assistant Constructor, has also received orders from the Chief that no fitters are to be employed on board the Eclipse? At the same time, I will ask the hon. Gentleman whether he will explain why it is that in Her Majesty's Dockyard at Portsmouth the labour of skilled engineers on warships in course of construction is being gradually displaced by that of shipwrights, who are not practical engineers?
§ MR. E. ROBERTSONMy reply to the first question is that the Chief Con- 1167 structor has not given any orders to Mr. Woolven with reference to the employment of fitters on the Majestic, nor has he made any arrangements respecting their work on the Eclipse with Mr. Aslett. With reference to the second question, there has been no variation in the practice at this yard in the arrangements as regards the distribution of work between shipwrights and fitters.