§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the sentence on a stoker at Portsmouth of five years penal servitude; and whether, in view of the severity of this sentence and the character of the alleged offence, any steps will be taken to reverse it.
The following Questions on the same subject also appeared on the Paper: —
§ MR. VINCENT KENNEDY (Cavan, W.)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what rule or regulation in the Naval Code provides for the order, "On your knees"; where it is to be found; and will he state whether there is any order of a kindred nature which is still in vogue in the service.
§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the proceedings in connection with the recent disturbances at Portsmouth have been concluded; and can he state when he hopes to be able to make a statement on the subject.
§ MR. DALZIELTo ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can offer any explanation as to why no official notice was taken in September, 1905, of the complaint of stoker Acton 1166 that Lieutenant Collard had been guilty of giving improper orders.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeThe report of the last court-martial has only just reached the Admiralty. The reports of all the courts-martial cover 475 typewritten foolscap pages, which have to be considered by each member of the Board. The questions arising are numerous and important, and will be dealt with, as I have already said, in one comprehensive Admiralty Minute. All despatch consistent with due deliberation will be employed, but I cannot at present name any definite date for the promulgation of the Minute.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked whether the Admiralty, in considering this matter, would bear in mind the strong feeling there was that, if an officer who was found guilty of giving an improper order was merely reprimanded, it was, to say the least, an outrage and injustice to give a stoker five years penal servitude for not obeying that order.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe Admiralty will consider all the circumstances.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDIt is introducing Russian methods here.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)I desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the order "On the knee" has ever been disobeyed by the Government when given by Gentlemen below the gangway?
§ MR. VINCENT KENNEDYWill the right hon. Gentleman not answer the last part of my Question?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI cannot now make a statement on one part of the Question.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWhen may I ask the Question again?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI hope the Minute will be issued before the end of next week,
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDThen I will put the Question down for this day week.