MR. BELLATRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether Lord Cawdor's memorandum of 30th November, 1905, is considered by 496 the present Board of Admiralty to be binding in its decisions in regard to the future careers of the Osborne cadets and the future duties of the engine-room artificers; whether the Board has made an application for sanction by Order in Council of the changes affecting the officers and the engine-room artificers which were embodied in Lord Cawdor's memorandum; and, if so, will a copy of such Order in Council be laid upon the Table; whether any protests against Lord Cawdor's memorandum have been received from officers commanding our principal fleets, and also from other admirals in high positions who have commanded fleets; and, as the decisions in Lord Cawdor's memorandum were only made public during the recess, will the Admiralty defer action on it until the financial year 1906–7?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONLord Cawdor's memorandum of 30th November, 1905, contains a record of decisions arrived at by the Board of Admiralty under his and Lord Selborne's presidency which have come, or are coming, into operation. It is not proposed to defer further action with regard to them, but to watch closely their working and effect. An Order in Council affecting the stoker and mechanician ratings received the King's approval on 6th January, 1906. Representations disapproving of portions of the policy laid down in Lord Cawdor's memorandum have been received from certain officers of His Majesty's Navy; but, while the Board of Admiralty are always ready to consider representations made by officers serving under them, it must be clearly understood that the Board are alone responsible to Parliament for the government and discipline of His Majesty's Navy.