§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that of the 785 scholars who attended classes in navigation throughout Scotland during the year 1897–8, under the Evening School Code, as many as 691 were scholars of the crofting comities of Argyll, Caithness, Inverness, Orkney and Shetland, and Ross and Cromarty, 247 coming from Ross-shire alone. And, in view of this proof of the desire of Highland youths to render themselves efficient in navigation, will he consider the expediency of giving them better facilities than at present exist for joining Her Majesty's Navy.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. W. E. MACARTNEY,) Antrim, S.The facilities for entry in the Navy in Scotland are the same as elsewhere. Buys can be entered by the station officer at any coastguard station, by the marine recruiting officer at Glasgow, by the officers commanding the coastguard ships at Greenock and Queensferry, and the naval reserve drill ships at Inverness, Aberdeen, Leith and Dundee. Success has not attended the visits of the seagoing training ships to the North, but further visits will be made from time to time, as may be considered desirable.
§ MR. WEIRWill the right honourable Gentleman allow a training ship to visit Stornoway during the summer and remain there a few days instead of a few hours?
§ MR. MACARTNEYI can add nothing to my answer.