HC Deb 14 May 1900 vol 83 cc145-6

As amended, considered.

MR. CALDWKLL (Lanarkshire, Mid)

said that power was sought under this Hill to adopt the principle which had been agreed to in the case of the Army lie-serves. It gave the Admiralty the same power of calling out only a portion of the Volunteer Reserves which the Queen in Council might have called out. There was, however, a very great difference between the power in regard to the two services. In the case of the Army, if Parliament was not sitting it had to be called together to authorise the calling out of the men, but in the case of the Navy there was no such necessity. The fear was that the Admiralty might take powers to call out the whole of the Reserves, but say they were going to call out only, perhaps, 5,000, and then shortly afterwards they might go on calling them out until the whole number were up. Upon the assurance of the Admiralty, however, that that would not be done, he did not desire further to oppose the Bill.