§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what is the weight of the birch supplied at the dockyards to His Majesty's ships for the flogging of boys and youths under eighteen, the strokes to be inflicted in such floggings not to exceed twenty- four; whether these birches are as a preparation for use in these floggings steeped in brine and for how long are they so steeped; whether boys and youths condemned to be flogged are confined during the night before the infliction of the flogging in cells below the water mark on bread and water, and when flogged consigned again to these cells; and, if so, whether any steps will be taken for the alteration or modification of the King's Regulations for the Navy under which it is permitted.
(Answered by Mr. Prelyman.) The weight of the birch is 9 ozs. The answer to the remaining part of the Question is in the negative.