§ SIR WILLIAM ALLAN (Gateshead)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet has laid it down that for official entertainments inspectors of machinery shall rank with commanders in command; whether, seeing that by Admiralty instructions inspectors of machinery have the relative rank of captain, this order of the Admiral embraces the Deputy Inspector of Hospitals at Malta, who also hold the relative rank of captain; will he say whether
† See page 501.1319 this order was sanctioned by the Board of Admiralty; and, if so, for what purpose.
§ *Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTERI must ask leave to refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for North Salford as recently as Monday last, and which was as follows: "No information has reached the Admiralty to the effect stated in the hon. Member's Question, but inquiry will be made, and I shall be happy to answer a further Question on the subject when the reply has been received." Steps have been taken already to fulfil the promise then given, but I think the hon. Member will agree that it is not unreasonable to allow more than three days for an inquiry which involves communication with the Mediterranean.