§ MR. GILHOOLY (Cork County, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether ho is aware that the Roman Catholic sailors, whose deaths were caused by the explosion of a gun aboard the warship "Mars," while manœuvring off Berehaven, were denied religious consolation while the Protestant sailors had the ministrations of the Church of England chaplain; whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed at the inquest held as to the cause of death of these sailors; and, seeing that the jury urged on the Government the advisability of having at least one Roman Catholic chaplain attached to each squadron, whether he proposes to advise that effect shall be given to this recommendation of the jury.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.Only one of the men who died subsequently to the recent gun accident on the "Mars" was a Roman Catholic. 784 His death took place in the hospital on shore, where the ministrations of a priest were available. My attention has been called to the remarks made by the jury. As the hon. Member is doubtless aware, I stated the policy of the Admiralty with regard to embarking Roman Catholic chaplains in seagoing ships in February last, to the following effect: That,
In the future, when large squadrons of ships are detached from their stations for any length of time in circumstances which would preclude Roman Catholic sailors from receiving the ministrations of their religion, a Roman Catholic chaplain shall accompany those ships.That undertaking has been, and will be, observed. The ships of the Channel Squadron are rarely more than a week out of port, and do not, therefore, come under the terms of the undertaking. It is not proposed, therefore, to make any departure from the existing practice such as was recommended by the jury.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork County, E.)Will the recommendation of the jury be carried out so far as the Mediterranean fleet is concerned?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERYes, a Roman Catholic chaplain has been despatched there.