§ *MR.PEEL (Manchester, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether on the North America and West Indies station for eleven vessels of the Royal Navy, carrying an aggregate of over 2,600 men and boys, there is but one chaplain; and whether in the Newfoundland fishery squadron, which for nearly half the year forms an independent command, consisting of four sea-going vessels, carrying over 500 men and boys, there is no chaplain; and, if there is a deficiency of chaplains in Her Majesty's Fleet, will the Admiralty endeavour to supply such deficiency by inviting suitable clergymen to serve on Her Majesty's ships for short terms, such as a year, or during the period for which a ship is in commission.
MR. GOSCHENThere are three chaplains on the North America and West Indies station—namely, one at Bermuda, one at Jamaica, and one in the 1332 flagship. There is no chaplain borne in the commodore's ship, but at St. John's, the, headquarters of the fishery squadron, there are opportunities of attending divine worship. The majority of the ships on the station have no accommodation for chaplains, but in the case of two of them which have such accommodation a naval instructor has been appointed in lieu of a chaplain and naval instructor (combined), as none of the latter were available. It is hoped that this will be remedied later. There is a deficiency of chaplains capable of acting as instructors, which makes it difficult to supply medium-sized vessels with the number of chaplains desired, but it is not considered to be sufficient to justify the exceptional course suggested in the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)What is the religion of the chaplains in question?