§ 82. Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that officers of the Royal Naval Reserve serving in the Union-Castle Line carrying out their twelve months' training in the Royal Navy and their gunnery and torpedo practice lose seniority in their own service; and, if so, whether he can make representations to the Union-Castle Line suggesting that they should give every facility to those of their officers who wish to make themselves efficient as officers of the Royal Naval Reserve?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI had already been in correspondence with the chairman of the company on this matter, and received his assurance that he is very anxious to meet the wishes of the Admiralty. The privilege of counting full seniority on their completion of training in the Royal Navy has already been extended by the company to officers of or above the rank of third officer.
§ 84. Major ARCHER-SHEEasked whether the Admiralty have at any time officially addressed the owners of merchant ships in the United Kingdom, urging upon them that they will provide every facility for officers of the Royal Naval Reserve in the way of undergoing naval training and attending the different courses in respect thereto; and whether, in the case of those ship-owning companies having contracts with the Government, it is made essential that those of their officers holding Royal Naval Reserve commissions shall receive every possible encouragement and facility in putting in naval training and in rendering themselves thoroughly efficient as Royal Naval Reserve officers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe Admiralty has-received so much assistance from ship-owning companies in providing facilities for the naval training of officers in the Royal Naval Reserve that up to the present the action suggested in the questions has not been found necessary.