§ MR. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state what is the number of men now in the navy under the short-service system, and how many were recruited during the year 1906; will he also state what is the highest rating that a man enlisted under this system can attain without passing over to the continuous service, and how many short-service men have reached such highest 473 rating since the introduction of the System; and how many men enlisted under the short service have passed over into the continuous service.
(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) (1) The numbers of special-service men borne on the 25th March last were:— Seamen, 1,324; stokers, 3,645; total, 4,969. (2) The numbers recruited during the year 1906 were:— Special - service seamen, 527; special service stokers, 2,329; total, 2,856. (3) Leading seaman and stoker, 1st class, respectively. (4) Special-service seamen, none. Special-service stokers, five. (5) The number of transfers from special-service to continuous service up to 31st December last were:— seamen, 58; stokers, 37; total, 95.