§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty in how many instances during the last three years have ships of war of the Royal Navy been used for the conveyance of Ministers of the Crown, unconnected with the Admiralty, on voyages either for public or private purposes; Whether he will mention the names of the ships thus employed, and of the Ministers of the Crown at whose disposition they were placed. and the voyages thus undertaken, and the purposes of such voyages; and whether, previously to the year 1900, there is any precedent for the utilisation of a vessel of the Royal Navy for such purposes.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, N.In the year 1900 the Secretary of State for the Colonies was conveyed in H.M.S. "Caesar." and in the present year the same Minister proceeded to Durban in the "Good Hope." In the present year the Secretary of State for War was conveyed from Genoa to Malta in the despatch vessel "Surprise," and from Malta to Gibraltar in the "Canopus," which was proceeding to Gibraltar on her way home. There are precedents for the conveyance in His Majesty's ships of Ministers of the Crown not connected with the Admiralty prior to the year 1900, but a practice which seems in itself reasonable and in the Public interest would appear to be justified without reference to precedent.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill not the hon. Gentleman tell me what was the last precedent? Is he not aware that the precedents for conveying Ministers of the Crown in ships of war have always taken place in war time?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERNo, Sir, I think the hon. Member is mistaken. That is not the fact.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLPerhaps the hon. Gentleman will kindly give me a list of the precedents.