§ MR. HARMSWORTH () CaithnessshireI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, in view of the fact that there are in the Channel Fleet but 948 qualified gunners for the 426 guns forming the total armament of the ships of the squadron, he will consider the advisability of increasing the number of qualified gunners in this squadron.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.The facts are not correctly stated in the hon. Member's Question, as he leaves out of account nearly 600 men who have passed through the Gunnery School, and are qualified in gunnery. He has also omitted the Royal Marines, by whom, I would remind him, certain guns on board ship are manned. The Admiralty, therefore, are not able to accept the conclusions at which the hon. Member has arrived.