§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state why it is that the 13 Protestant chaplains to the Mediterranean Squadron, each of whom has only to attend an average of 540 men, are paid £273 a year each, while the Catholic chaplain, who has to attend 750 men and also the Malta Prison in addition, is only paid £80 a year; whether any provision exists for the ministrations of a Catholic chaplain while the ships are cruising either as regards Divine Service or the attendance on the sick or dying; and whether there is any reason why at least one Catholic chaplain should not be permanently attached to the Squadron?
§ MR. E. ROBERTSONChurch of England chaplains serving in Her Majesty's ships form part of the regular Establishment of the Navy; and they, as in the case of all other branches of the Service, have to serve whenever and wherever required. The Roman Catholic chaplain appointed to minister to the needs of the seamen and marines of the ships when at Malta is a resident in the Island, and does not belong to the Service, nor does he accompany the Fleet to sea—he is, therefore, not paid at the same rate as the chaplains who form part of the regular complement of the ships. At Malta and Gibraltar arrangements for the requirements of the Roman Catholic men of the Fleet exist; in other ports where there is a Roman Catholic church the men are landed on Sundays for Mass. No other special provision has been made, except that the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean has instructions that when the Squadron is likely to be any length of time away from a port where the services of an English-speaking 49 priest can be obtained, one is to be embarked. The bearing of chaplains of other religions than the Church of England has never been in force in Her Majesty's ships. The conditions of the Service, together with the great difficulty that is experienced in finding accommodation in Her Majesty's ships, makes the permanent appointment of Roman Catholic chaplains undesirable and inconvenient.