MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty will the Admiralty consider the advisability of publishing annually a list of ships in His Majesty's fleet in their order of merit in gunnery efficiency either on the system of points per gun adopted on the China station, or on some other system; of altering the system of prize-money for heavy and light gun-firing so as to avoid the present method of allocating to each ship a total sum for prizes based solely on the complement and not on the gunnery efficiency of that ship; and of granting to the best heavy-gun marksmen badges for good shooting similar to those now granted to the best rifle marksmen.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.It is proposed at an early date to publish a list of ships in their order of merit as regards efficiency in gunnery. 1800 This information will be given annually. There is no intention of making any alteration in the system of granting prize money for heavy and light gun-firing at present in force. The King, however, has approved of the bestowal of a medal upon the men who are returned as the best shots with each class of gun in each ship respectively, subject to their performance being up to a fixed standard of merit. A bonus will be given in connection with the medal. It is not proposed to grant marksmen's badges.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESWill the Admiralty not consider the advisability of granting a badge instead of a medal as in the case of the rifle volunteers?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERA bonus will accompany the medal in the year it is granted.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERYes, Sir.