§ CAPTAIN NORTONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, seeing that men employed at Woolwich in drawing off rum receive 6d. a day extra pay, which brings their weekly wage up to 24s., he will consider the advisability of extending similar treatment to those employed in the Deptford Victualling Yard who not only draw off but previously blend the rum which is dealt with at Woolwich.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI have no information as to what wages are paid at Woolwich to men engaged in drawing off rum. Labourers when employed on the duty in question at Deptford receive their ordinary pay without any special allowance, and no grounds appear to exist for the payment of such an allowance. The term "blend" as applied to the work performed by these labourers seems inappropriate. The process of reducing the rum to issuing strength by the addition of water is entirely controlled by a leading man of stores; and the labourers are merely employed in the manual operation of adding such quantities of water as he may direct.