§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many executive and engineer officers respectively are holding shore appointments, having served for more than five consecutive years in shore appointments; and whether these cases contravene the spirit of the Order in Council of 8th December, 1903, which was introduced to prevent the danger incurred in subsequently employing such 350 officers in positions of responsibility afloat.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe numbers are three executive and eleven engineer officers. It is not likely that the majority of these officers will be required to go to sea again, and, in any case, the Order in Council, which does not apply to engineer officers, allows the Admiralty discretionary power in special cases.