§ 4. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is yet in a position to give the House any further information regarding the want of ventilation in the seamen's and petty officers' quarters on His Majesty's Ship "Lion"; whether he is aware that the hammocks are slung too close together, and that the quarters are bounded on the one side by the plates of the boiler-room and on the other by the sides of the ship; will he give the dimensions of the seamen's and petty officers' quarters; and say how many men occupied these quarters during the manœuvres?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe commanding officer reports that the arrangements for 2024 ventilating appear to be quite satisfactory. The sleeping accommodation is rather cramped, but extra berths are being provided. The dimensions of the seamen's sleeping quarters are about 20,750 cubic feet, and of the petty officers' sleeping quarters 13,300 cubic feet. The approximate numbers were 234 seamen and ninety-three petty officers. With regard to the third part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that I definitely informed him in this House on the 15th of this month that none of the quarters are bounded by the boilers.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that my question on this occasion is not the same as the question I put before? What I asked then was whether the quarters were bounded by the boilers; what I ask now is whether the quarters are bounded by the boiler-room?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is a difference without a distinction. The question put to me on 15th June was whether the quarters were bounded by the boilers, and I said no, they were not. Now the hon. Member asks whether they are bounded by the boiler-room, and I say no again.