§ MR. FORWOOD (Lancashire, Ormskirk)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, how many out of the 800 seamen class, proposed to be engaged from the Mercantile Marine in the financial year 1894–5, had been enlisted on the 1st of January last; what proportion of the crews of the subsidised cruisers Lucania, Campania, Teutonic and Majestic, are required to be members of the Royal Naval Reserve; and do these vessels carry an aggregate of more than 600 firemen and trimmers; and what is the total number of firemen allowed to be enrolled in Liverpool in the Royal Naval Reserve?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThe reply to the first paragraph is 52. It has been agreed that on the Teutonic and Majestic the crews are to belong to the Royal Naval Reserve to the extent of one-half (as nearly as possible). The agreement as to the Lucania and Campania is now in its final stage, but has not been signed. About 600 firemen, trimmers, &c., are borne on these four ships. No specified proportion of the Royal Naval Reserve firemen was allotted to the respective ports; but 334 (namely, about one-fifth of the whole number of 1,600) have been entered at Liverpool.
§ MR. FORWOODI will ask my right hon. Friend whether he will make an effort to increase the number of firemen at Liverpool?