§ MR. MCFADDEN (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he received some time ago a request from Mr. Bernard C. M'Elhinnery, Rathmullan, county Donegal, asking for the address of a man named John Thomas Bell, employed in His Majesty's service, on the ground that he was indebted to the said Mr. M'Elhinnery for the rent of a house due whilst stationed at Rathmullan, in order that he might sue Bell for his debt; whether the request was refused on the ground that there was a rule prohibiting the supplying of such information; and whether steps will be taken to alter this rule, so that facilities may be given to creditors in the position of Mr. M'Elhinnery to ascertain the address of persons in His Majesty's service who evade payment of their just debts.
§ *THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. LEE, Fareham, Hants)This application was refused as it is contrary to Admiralty practice to furnish information respecting the whereabouts of men serving in the Royal Navy, except for the satisfaction of relatives, or for the furtherance of some public object. This practice is based on 869 the provision in the Naval Discipline Act which protects seamen against arrest for debts incurred whilst in the service.