§ SIR J. COLOMB (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, at what Naval bases, other than Esquimalt, have junior Royal Engineer officers been authorised to communicate direct with superior authority elsewhere, and to report independently on matters relating to the garrison and defence of the place; and, if so, what is the object of thus preventing their official communication passing through the hands of their superior officers on the spot responsible for the safety of the place in war.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMNeither at Esquimalt nor at any other Naval base do Royal Engineer officers communicate direct with or report independently to the War Office on matters relating to the garrison and defence of the place, except when, as at Wei-hai-wei, such an officer occupies an independent command. With that exception, an officer of the Royal Engineers communicates through his commanding officer. But a General Officer commanding may, under Paragraph 198 of regulations for Engineer services, authorise an Engineer to communicate direct on services not requiring a reference to the General Officer commanding.
§ SIR J. COLOMBMy question was, have these officers been authorised to correspond with the superior authority.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMThat is a phrase very difficult of interpretation. The hon. and gallant Gentleman's questions are very argumentative. The superior authority may be the General Officer commanding.