MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether he has made any inquiry as to the existence of the practice of dressing the crews of private pleasure yachts in a dress having the 1120 appearance of the uniform of the Navy; whether he has considered the inconvenience of such a practice, when accompanied by the wearing of the white ensign of Her Majesty's Navy, as causing such private vessels to have, both as regards the ensign they wear and the dress of their crews, the appearance of men-of-war; whether the practice of the Admiralty is to grant a warrant to wear the white ensign of the Navy on the sole condition of membership of certain privileged clubs; and, if so, upon what grounds the privilege is given to some clubs and withheld from others; and whether the Admiralty will consider the propriety of attaching to all such warrants in future, either the condition that the white ensign shall bear a distinctive badge differentiating it from the ensign of the Navy, or the condition that the crew of the vessel shall not be dressed in a dress closely resembling the uniform of the Navy?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. W. E.MACARTNEY,) Antrim, S.No inquiry has been made as to the existence of the practice alluded to, and no instance of any inconvenience caused by it has come to the knowledge of the Admiralty. The Royal Yacht Squadron is the only yacht club allowed to wear the white ensign of Her Majesty's Fleet. The privilege was granted by warrant in June, 1829. I am unable to give any information as to the grounds on which it was granted. There is no intention to attach any new conditions to the warrants alluded to.