§ * SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether he will state the reason of the recent discharge of labourers, fitters joiners, and other men at Chatham Dockyard.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.The total number of discharges from Chatham Dockyard is 100, and includes 20 joiners who were temporarily entered to replace men sent to Portsmouth for the completion of the Royal Yacht, 66 workmen temporarily entered to complete work on the "Irresistible" which has now been commissioned, and 25 labourers. I may add that it is clearly impossible in a great establishment employing over 8,000 men to avoid occasional discharges, as otherwise all temporary entries would involve permanent additions to the total numbers employed.