§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the members of the 639 Douglass Committee who advised the abolition of the carpenter (warrant officer) in the Royal Navy had taken any steps to obtain the opinion of the admirals and captains on the active list on the question before arriving at their conclusion; whether he will inquire whether the officers mentioned failed in the finding of the Committee's Report; whether steps have been taken to ascertain if the officers, admirals, and captains on the active list consider it would be to the best interest of the service to retain the carpenter on the present line; whether, in the event of the Douglass Committee's suggestion being approved, their Lordships intend merging the warrant officers at present holding the rank of carpenter to the proposed rank of warrant artificer; I and whether he will furnish the House with a list of the occasions on which Navy carpenters have been specially I commended by their Lordships for the able manner in which special and urgent repairs have been effected in connection with the stranding of the battleship "Howe" on the rocks at Ferrol and other warships.
§ (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) As stated in reply to the Question of the hon. Member for Devonport on the 21st June last,†the passage in the Report referred to was an expression of opinion as to the probable result of changes in process of being carried out in the personnel of the fleet. No suggestion was made that the carpenter warrant officers had failed in their duty, but on the contrary it was well known to the members of the Committee that these officers are held in high esteem by commanding officers. No evidence was taken by the Committee on the subject. The Admiralty have not taken action on this part of the Report, and therefore it would be premature to make any statement as to arrangements which might have to be made at some future time.