§ SIR CARNE RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the case of two petty officers of His Majesty's Navy, who, on 14th December attempted to return to Portsmouth by the South Western Railway, Waterloo Station, and were ejected from their carriage by order of the station master, who informed them that civilians object to the company of bluejackets; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeWhen the case was brought to my notice by the hon. and gallant Member, I made inquiries of the railway company, and I understand that, on the date in question, several hundred sailors were returning to Weymouth to join the Channel Fleet. The company had accordingly provided a special train for them, due to leave shortly after the ordinary morning express; and had the two petty officers concerned been permitted to enter the ordinary train, it would have been impossible to prevent the other sailors from following their example, with the result that the train would have become so overcrowded that its punctual despatch would have been impossible. It is not a fact that the station master informed these men that the civilians objected to the company of bluejackets. Sailors travel at reduced rates, and where the number travelling justifies the provision of special accommodation, the railway company claim the right of restricting the men to these trains.