§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Board are aware that failure of eyesight does take place in some cases, after the first test of officers at the age of about thirteen years; and whether in view of the increasing speed of ships and the fact that gun fire may be opened in action at such long ranges as 10,000 yards,, the Board are prepared to test the eyesight of all officers filling responsible positions in charge of His Majesty's ships or their armaments.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeFailure of eyesight does take place in some cases after the first test of vision at the age of about thirteen. Officers are from time to time invalided from the Service on account of this during their subsequent careers when the defect is brought to notice, and is considered sufficiently serious to render them unfit for their special work. The proposal, contained in the second part of the Question is considered unnecessary, it being every captain's duty, in furnishing confidential reports on his officers, to specify any physical defects that may impair an officer's fitness for the duties assigned to him.
§ MR. BELLAIRSMay I ask who is to make these reports when the captain himself is short-sighted? I can give the hon. Gentleman specific cases in the Royal Navy.
§ [No Answer was returned.]