§ MR. JOHN CAMPBELLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether all the vessels of the A Division Fleet Reserve are to have wet gun-cotton and all their ammunition kept aboard, and to be kept victualled; and, if so, can he state with what purpose these orders have been issued.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAll projectiles above 6-pr. have for a long time past been kept on board ships in the Fleet Reserve. In order to avoid excessive labour on mobilisation, it has now been decided to place the machine gun and small-arm ammunition and part of the explosives on board. The measure is not due to any unusual cause, but is, as stated, with the object of saving labour in preparing the vessels for war. No change has been made with regard to the victualling arrangements of the ships in the A Division of the Fleet Reserve.