§ SIR EDWARD GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will be good enough to state what arrangements are intended to be made for the mobilisation of the Channel and Coastguard Squadron for the summer manœuvres; are they to be similar to those of 1897 or those of last 301 year, which were of a limited character owing to the coal dispute in Wales; will he state the number and type of ships that are to be mobilised, and whether the tactics will be those of attack or those of defence of the English Channel and other approaches to naval, military, and commercial harbours; and will he also state the number of men of the Coastguard and first and second class Naval Reserves who are to be embarked, and for what period.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareThe information desired by the hon. Member will be promulgated shortly, but I may say that the manœeuvres will be strategical. The number of Coastguard to be embarked will be 1,500, for about one month. About 400 Royal Naval Reserve men, who are serving for six months, will also be borne in the ships during the manœuvres.
In answer to a further question by Sir Edward Gourley which was inaudible in the gallery,