§ SIR BERKELEY SHEFFIELD (Lincolnshire, Brigg)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many youths, boys, and second-class stokers are on board the "Majestic," of the Nore division of the Homo Feet, and her sister ship the "Illustrious,'' of the Channel Fleet, and the cruiser "Natal," of the Nore division of the Home Fleet, and her sister ship the "Black Prince," of the second cruiser squadron.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe number of youths, boys, and second-class stokers on board the "Majestic," "Illustrious," "Natal" and "Black Prince" are seventy two, thirty, fifty-seven and thirty-one respectively. These numbers are two, forty-four, thirty-eight and sixty-seven below the normal number of these young ratings allowed in the complements. Both the "Illustrious" and "Black Prince" have been in commission over fifteen months, and the smaller number of young ratings borne in them is due to the majority of the boys originally entered having been rated ordinary seamen.