§ SIR EDWARD GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty will he state how many battle-ships, cruisers, torpedo-catchers, gunboats, and torpedo-boats are to be employed in this year's Naval Manœvres; what is the total number of officers, A.B.'s, boys, marines, engineers, and stokers embarked, and whether all the latter are trained men or otherwise; are the vessels to be divided into squadrons of imaginary offence and defence of the United Kingdom; and, whether the tactics will be the outcome of Admiralty pre-arranged plans, or will they be left in the hands of the senior Admiral afloat?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYThe ships to be employed in the Naval Manœvres include 15 battleships, 25 cruisers, 21 gunboats, 20 torpedo-destroyers, 24 torpedo-boats. Their names have been already published. Total, 105 vessels. The total number of officers and men embarked is 20,078, including officers, 841; petty officers and able seamen, 7,812; boys, 1,028; marines, 2,210; engineers, 218; engine-room artificers, 567; stokers, 4,914; miscellaneous rating, 2,488. There are no returns at the Admiralty showing the number of stokers who have not yet been to sea, but they would probably be exceedingly few. Information as to the precise character of the operations cannot be given, without tending to defeat the objects of the manœvres. The hon. Member will see the character of the manœvres as they develop.
§ SIR E. GOURLEYasked whether the tactics would be the outcome of Admiralty pre-arranged plans, or would they be left in the hands of the senior Admiral afloat?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYI do not know that I quite understand the Question of the hon. Member. A certain problem is sent to the Admirals, and the solving of that problem is left to the Admirals to the best of their ability.