§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Yorks, Shipley)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the number of engineer students to be entered into the Royal Navy in the financial year has been determined by the Admiralty, with a view to rendering possible the option of retirement of Fleet engineers of 50 years of age; and whether the system of such retirement, which was temporarily suspended seven years ago, will be again resumed?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe answer to the first paragraph is in the negative, and to the second, not at present
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he could state to the House what facilities, if any, are afforded to the senior engineer officers of the Royal Navy to enable them to attend the valuable lectures on the progress of marine engineering given at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and how far such facilities, if any, compare with those afforded to the senior officers of other branches in the Fleet; and whether the senior engineer officers are precluded from attending the engineering lectures-owing to the paucity of their numbers?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe lectures on marine engineering at the college are equally open to engineer officers of the Royal Navy as to other branches of the Service when they are not otherwise employed. The exceptional requirements of the Service did not admit of these officers attending last year, but the lectures given on the last occasion were printed and issued to the Fleet.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he could state to the House what was the actual sea-going engine-room complement of H.M.S. "Argonaut" and "Ariadne" at the time of their official trials, exclusive of the party for taking records; and what numbers of engine-room ratings were drafted from the Medway Reserve to make up such complement?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe drafts of engine-room ratings employed on the trials of the "Argonaut" and "Ariadne" numbered 207, and all the ratings were provided from the Medway Reserve, to which the vessels belong.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is the intention of the Admiralty to carry into effect the recommendation of the Committee presided over by Admiral Sir A. Cooper Key 22 years ago, that engineer officers in the Royal Navy should have executive control in their own department?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe answer is in the negative.
§ MR. ALLEN (Newcastle-under-Lyme)Why has not the recommendation of the Committee been carried out with regard to the engineer officers of the Royal Navy?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe honourable Member had better give notice.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether large additions are to be made 304 to the executive ranks of admirals, captains, commanders, and lieutenants in the Navy; and whether any increase is contemplated, and, if so, to what extent, in the number of engineer officers of the various grades to meet the growing requirements of the Feet?
§ MR. MACARTNEYCertain additions will be made to the executive ranks and to the lists of engineer officers.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYWhen will it be made known?
§ MR. MACARTNEYThe honourable Gentleman had better wait for the First Lord's statement.