§ *SIR J. COLOMBI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Defence Committee of the Cabinet will carefully consider the present dual, naval and military, organisations of our distant naval stations, in view of the fact, illusstrated by events in China, that our Admirals commanding such stations are, under the existing system, compelled to deprive their ships of fighting force when any emergency necessitates minor military operations on land, by reason of the garrisons at their bases being purely military, under the control of the War Office at home, and not at the disposal of the Admirals on the stations.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo information that we have received from China would indicate that there is any basis for the contention of my hon. and gallant friend.