HC Deb 19 February 1900 vol 79 cc371-2
MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the following arrangements can be made:—To have one Roman Catholic chaplain to every squadron to minister to the same, either by being stationed on board ship or otherwise, the Roman Catholic chaplain to be on the same footing as regards pay, allowances, and pensions as chaplains of the Established Church: to have a certain number of acting Roman Catholic chaplains where the number of Roman Catholic sailors is large enough to demand their ministrations, as is done in the Army; and to have a Roman Catholic schoolmaster on board every training ship.

MR. GOSCHEN

The arrangements for religious ministrations to the Roman Catholics in the Meet have been constantly discussed by the Admiralty with representatives of Roman Catholic bodies, and prelates of the Roman Catholic Church, and as I have previously stated to the hon. Member for East Mayo, every effort has been made to satisfy legitimate wants in that respect, but the present very large proposals of the hon. Member could not be carried out.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

May I ask whether we are to understand that the Roman Catholic prelates, with whom the right hon. Gentleman discussed those matters, were satisfied?

MR. GOSCHEN

There were many points on which they were wholly satisfied. We had done our best to come to an arrangement with them, and in the Mediterranean I believe we have fully carried out their wishes.

MR. JOHN REDMOND () Waterford

Has the right hon. Gentleman come to an arrangement with the prelates?

MR. GOSCHEN

I have said we have on a great many topics. Salaries have been increased in many directions, and many grievances have been remedied. Of course we have not been able to do everything they wish, any more than we could meet the claims of other denominations, but it has been my sincere desire to satisfy all their legitimate claims.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

I shall raise this question on the Estimates, and hope the right hon. Gentleman will be then able to give a more detailed account of what has been done.