§ Lord ROBERT CECILI wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman what is the number of short-service men of all ratings now serving in the Navy; how many it is proposed to enter during the current financial year; what is the proportion in each ship of short-service men to the rest of the ship's company; and if there is any maximum limit fixed to the proportion of short-service men to the rest of the ship's company?
§ Mr. McKENNAAccording to the periodical returns the numbers borne on the 25th March were:—
The answer to the second part of the question is:—
Special service seamen 1,638 Special service stokers 5,511 2016
Special service seamen 500 Special service stokers--There is no numerical limit placed on the number of special service I have no information available to enable me to answer the third part of the question, and returns would have to be searched from 259 separate ships before it could be produced. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.
stokers to be entered, but probably less than half the total entries of stokers will be special service this financial year.