§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if the punishment of flogging in the Navy is now entirely abolished; and, if not, will he state the regulations now in force which sanction it.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONAs I stated in the course of the debate on the Address on 21st February, flogging and birching, though still in the list of punishments authorised by the Naval Discipline Act, have been suspended by Admiralty order, the former since 1881, and the latter since 30th January last. The King's Regulations authorise caning on the breech with the clothes on in the case of boys and buglers under eighteen, but by Admiralty orders dated 2nd March, 1906, this punishment is only to be inflicted under the actual order of the captain, and is not to be carried out in public.