§ MR. THORNTON (Clapham)To ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the possibility of so enlarging the Royal Naval Reserve as to include those officers who, although not at present occupied on the sea, nevertheless possess valuable experience.
(Answered by Mr. Pretyman.) Under the Royal Naval Reserves Act, 1859, power was obtained to enter 30,000 men "by voluntary entry from among seafaring men and others who may be deemed suitable for the services in which such volunteers may be employed," and it is under this authority that arrangements have been made to enter stokers and engine-room artificers in the Reserve who are not seafaring men. The Naval Forces Act of 1903 abolished the limit of 30,000 imposed by the first-named Act, and the Admiralty have now authority, subject to the voting of the Supply by Parliament, to enter in the Royal Naval Reserves such number of men of the various classes as may be required for His Majesty's Navy.