§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the order issued by the Admiralty that trading on board His Majesty's ships in home ports is to cease; whether he is aware that this order will injuriously affect a number of people at each naval port; whether he is aware that 2,000 persons in Portsmouth alone, besides those at Devonport, Portland, Chatham, and Dover will be affected; whether he is aware that at Portsmouth out of eighty licensed boatmen seventy are dependent upon the tradesmen for their living, these seventy men having to maintain 320 people; whether he is aware that at Portsmouth 220 persons were permitted to enter the dockyard who employed 1,320 people; whether he is aware that some of the ships have already been closed; and, seeing that the tradesmen being allowed on board is a convenience for the ships' companies, whether he can see his way to rescind or modify the order?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The Noble Lord is aware that the Admiralty received in May last a protest from a number of Portsmouth tradesmen against the custom of permitting certain privileged persons on board His Majesty's ships, on their coming into harbour, in order to peddle their wares. The protest asserted that this business was increasing, to the detriment of the established traders ashore, and stated that a number of the men who carry on this business have no rate-paying responsibility in the locality. On a careful review of the whole of the circumstances, the Admiralty decided that, so far as the ships in home waters are concerned, it is clearly in the interests of the men, no less than of the tradesmen of the locality, to discontinue the practice of peddling on board ship, for which there is no longer any necessity with the amount of leave now allowed in the home ports. I may add that the Commanders-in-Chief have been instructed that, in carrying this order into effect, due consideration should be given to the cases of traders who have enjoyed the privilege of trading on board 22 for a considerable time and have not misused their opportunities. To this end the order allows Commanders-in-Chief, at their discretion, to continue the privilege in such cases for a reasonable time, not exceeding six months.
§ Sip C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that all these pedlars receive an order from the Admiralty at the port before they are allowed to go on board the ships?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly, otherwise they could not go on them.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that some of these men that the hon. Gentleman terms pedlars peddle things like Bibles and Prayer Books?