§ MR. MENZIES (Lanarkshire, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty a Question of which I have given him some notice, i.e., whether it is necessary in his opinion for the efficiency of our Navy that ships should patrol the seas in mimic warfare during the night without lights, breaking all ordinary maritime law and becoming a constant danger to merchant ships with their crews and passengers, as well as to the lives of His Majesty's sailors.
§ MR. McKENNAI thank the hon. Member for having given me notice. If the Fleet is to maintain its high efficiency some amount of risk must always be taken. The Board of Admiralty may be relied upon to prevent unnecessary risk being run in the war training of the Fleet and to issue any such fresh instructions as may be necessary from time to time to minimise this. These exercises are undertaken hundreds of times, and the number of accidents that occur are remarkably few.