§ 53. Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a vice-admiral has been in command of the British naval forces in Chinese waters since 1865; whether the present Commander-in-Chief in China holds the rank of rear-admiral with temporary rank as acting vice-admiral; whether a Japanese admiral, as senior naval officer present, lately assumed command of the international forces landed at Shanghai; and whether, having regard to the British interests in the East and the importance to Great Britain of maintaining the prestige which it has always held in those waters, the Admiralty will consider the propriety of ensuring that the British Commander-in-Chief shall not in any circumstances be placed in a position making him subordinate to the admiral of any foreign nation?
§ 55. Mr. STEWARTasked whether the Japanese admiral is senior officer in command of the bluejackets and Marines landed during recent operations at Shanghai; whether our admiral holds the full rank of vice-admiral while on the China station; and what is the rank of the Japanese admiral at present in command of the landing parties?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn accordance with the usual practice, the British Commander-in-Chief on the China station is an officer of the rank of vice-admiral. For the first two months after assuming command he held the acting rank only, but he now holds the substantive rank. The Japanese flag officer in command of the international landing parties at Shanghai is also a vice-admiral, but senior in that rank. Had the British Commander-in-Chief happened to be the senior it by no means follows that he would have landed on this occasion. The prestige of this country would not, in my opinion, be well served by filling naval posts with officers of unnecessarily high rank merely in order to make it more difficult for officers of other nations to be senior. It could not, of course, be made impossible.