§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty for what reason a nucleus crew has been on board H.M.S. "Terrible" since November, 1906, during which period the ship has been disabled and under repair at Portsmouth; and whether the Board intend to continue keeping a nucleus crew on board this ship until her repairs are completed at the end of this financial year.
§ MR. MCKENNAIt was convenient in regard to the maintenance of the vessel and her repairs to keep the nucleus crew for the time being, as the men were available. In reply to the last part of the Question, the Answer is in the negative.
§ MR. BELLAIRSasked whether the convenience of making nucleus crews do this dockyard work was merely for economy, and was not the fighting training of the crew sacrificed by keeping them eighteen months in harbour.
§ MR. MCKENNAI should not consider it merely a matter of economy.