§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention 839 has been drawn to a recent statement by Lord Charles Beresford that during the last twenty years only three commissions have been offered to Naval men who entered service as bluejacket boys; and whether the Government intend to take any steps to remedy this state of things.
§ CAPTAIN PRETYMANThe statement as to the number of men promoted to commissioned rank during the period referred to is correct the question of such promotions is one to which the Admiralty have given much attention, and though no bar has been placed upon the promotion of deserving men, the great difficulties surrounding the question have limited the number made.