§ 18. Mr. JAMES HOPEasked the Prime Minister why restrictions were placed on the movements of officers or men of the 1530 Howitzer Brigade at Kildare on 20th March or following days; and why ammunition canisters for the brigade were unsealed and feeds for the horses and blankets for the men packed and put upon wagons at that time?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have given the House all the information which I possess on this subject.
§ 51. Mr. SANDYSasked the Prime Minister what steps were taken by General Sir Arthur Paget to ensure the safety of Government arms and stores in the South of Ireland, in accordance with the instructions received by that officer from the War Office on 14th March?
§ The PRIME MINISTERArmed guards with ball cartridge were mounted day and night, and the gates were closed.
§ Mr. SANDYSWhat are the gates?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe gates of the places referred to.
§ Mr. CROOKSDoes the Prime Minister consider it wise to disclose the movements of troops to His Majesty's enemies?
§ 53. Mr. JAMES HOPEasked the Prime. Minister why a battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery had notice to be ready to move North from Cork during last month?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am informed that no such orders were given from the headquarters Irish Command.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have given my answer.
§ 54. Mr. JAMES HOPEasked the Prime Minister whether Sir Arthur Paget has been informed by the War Office that any orders given or dispositions made by him in the latter part of March exceeded his instructions or were without authority?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir.
§ Mr. J. HOPEAre we to take it that as between Sir Arthur Paget and the War Office there was no misunderstanding?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Member may draw his own inferences.
§ 56. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister what was the special urgency which was responsible for the War Office telegram of 16th March, asking Sir A. Paget to reply before 8 a.m. on the 17th; and what steps he has taken to carry out the instructions contained in the War Office letter of 14th March?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government were anxious to receive early information on the subject.
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt was not stimulated at all.
§ 57. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister on what grounds it was decided on 19th March to move the stores at the depot at Victoria Barracks, Belfast, in such haste as to necessitate the possible removal of the bolts of the rifles and abandonment of the rifles themselves, seeing that on 18th March the War Office had countermanded Sir A. Paget's arrangements for quietly removing the arms and ammunition from the depots at Armagh and Omagh?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt was considered the best course to take with these particular stores.
§ Mr. AMERYWould the right hon. Gentleman say what was the last occasion on which British troops were ordered to abandon rifles in their hurry to leave a position?
§ Colonel YATEWere these troops ordered out of barracks so suddenly that the fleet might be able to bombard the town? What were the fleet for?
§ 58. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister what were the special reasons for the anxiety shown by General Paget in his telegram to General Friend, dated 5.30 p.m. on 19th March, that the battalion to be sent to Dundalk should 1532 arrive there without fail, by train or cruiser, on the afternoon of the 20th; what stores there were in Dundalk which required guarding; and what evidence there was of any intention on the part of evil-disposed persons in Ulster to carry out a raid against Dundalk?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe battalion was sent to Dundalk as a precautionary measure to protect the Artillery there, as it was thought to be insufficiently guarded.
§ Mr. AMERYDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that the whole Field Brigade of Artillery, 4,530 officers and men, were insufficiently guarded in the middle of the county of Louth against an Ulster attack?
§ Viscount CASTLEREAGHWhat specific attack was anticipated?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not know.
§ 59. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister how many men were stationed at the depot at Carrickfergus on the 19th of March; whether the guard there had been reinforced from Holywood on the previous day, in pursuance of Sir A. Paget's orders acting upon the War Office letter of the 14th March; how many troops were at Belfast and Holywood on the same date available for further reinforcement at Carrickfergus if thought necessary; how many miles Carrickfergus is from Holywood and Belfast, respectively; and what were the special reasons for reinforcing Carrickfergus by troops hurried round from the South of Ireland on H.M.S. "Attentive," and H.M.S. "Pathfinder"?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe reply to the first part is: One officer and twenty-seven men; to the second, yes; to the third, about 1,200 on 19th March; to the fourth, Carrickfergus to Holywood seventeen miles by land, three miles by sea. Carrickfergus to Belfast twelve miles. I have no doubt it was done for good military reasons.
§ 60. Major HOPEasked the Prime Minister (1) whether any orders or instructions were issued during last March either to 1533 the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command or to the Brigadier-General commanding 18th Infantry Brigade with regard to the possible future movement to Ireland of the 18th Infantry Brigade or any part of it; (2) whether any orders or instructions were issued during last March to any general officers commanding in chief in Great Britain with reference to possible embarkation for Ireland of troops other than those which have been since sent to Ireland in ordinary administrative change of stations.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to these questions is in the negative.
§ 66. Mr. BOYTONasked the Prime Minister why the First Lord of the Admiralty, on 25th March, officially stated that the Cabinet decided that a Battle Squadron should be stationed at Lamlash, where it would be in proximity to the coasts of Ireland in the case of serious disorders occurring, whilst the Prime Minister, on 23rd April, stated that the movement of the Battle Squadron was not and never was intended to be a part of the precautionary measures in Ireland?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on this subject yesterday. The two statements are quite consistent.
§ 67. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister if he will publish the full instructions given by Sir A. Paget to his assistant military secretary, referred to in No. XXX. of the second White Paper?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have answered that with number 63.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILMay I call your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that the Prime Minister with something less than his usual courtesy—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh, oh!" and Interruptions, and "Withdraw."] What am I to withdraw?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe observation of the Noble Lord is really unnecessary. I assume what he is going to say is that the Prime Minister did not answer the question because it was not asked. No doubt the Prime Minister omitted to observe that 1534 the hon. and gallant Gentleman, in whose name the question stands, did not rise and was not called.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am extremely sorry. I had prepared an answer. I omitted to note the hon. and gallant Gentleman was not present. I beg the hon. Member's pardon. The answer is that he was instructed to explain the events referred to in the preceding telegrams, and he attended at the War Office in accordance with his instructions.
68. Captain FABERasked the Secretary of State for War how many men the company of Infantry was composed of which went to protect stores at the old stores at Omagh and Enniskillen; and what military stores or munitions of war were in those stores prior to the 20th March during that month?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROne hundred to Omagh, 200 to Enniskillen. At Omagh there were the arms of the Regular Reservists and a supply of small-arm ammunition. At Enniskillen an ordnance-store containing Special Reservists arms, a considerable stock of small-arm ammunition, camp equipment and general stores.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI never expressed that opinion.
69. Captain FABERasked the Secretary of State for War whether any Army Council meeting took place during the month of March at which no soldier was present; and whether he will consider the desirability of securing that such meeting shall not take place in the future without a soldier being present?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to both branches of the question is in the negative.
§ 70. Mr. HAROLD SMITHasked the Secretary of State for War whether Sir Arthur Paget visited the Curragh Camp immediately after he had been advised of the resignation of General Gough and the officers in his command; whether such visit 1535 was with the object of inducing such officers to withdraw their resignations; and whether any report has been received by the War Office of the result of this interview?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSir A. Paget visited the Curragh camp on 21st March, in order to inform himself personally of the situation there. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave on the subject yesterday.
§ Mr. RAWLINSONIs it a fact that there were certain statements made to officers on that occasion to induce them to withdraw their resignations?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI answered a question yesterday upon that subject.
71. Mr. F. HALL (Dulwich)asked the Secretary of State for War if orders were issued by General Ferguson to his command, after his interview with Sir A. Paget on 20th March, that in view of the possibility of active operations in Ulster the War Office had authorised that officers whose homes were actually in the province of Ulster who wished to do so might apply for permission to be absent from duty during the period of operations, and would be allowed to disappear from Ireland; that such officers would subsequently be reinstated and would suffer no loss in their careers; that any officer who from conscientious or other motives was not prepared to carry out his duty as ordered should say so at once, and that such officers would be at once dismissed from the Service; that as regards the words, officers whose homes are actually in the province of Ulster, these were to be taken literally and strictly and that brigadiers and officers commanding units were responsible under penalty of court martial; that only such officers as came under that description were allowed to disappear; that it was hoped that very few cases would be found of officers who elected to sever their connection with the Service from conscientious or other motives; when he was first informed that such orders had been given; and if any communication has 1536 been sent by the War Office to General Ferguson?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understand that General Ferguson did make such a communication to some officers under his command. As regards the second part, I cannot recall when my attention was first called to the document which, as Sir A. Paget has said, was issued under a wrong impression. The answer to the last part is in the negative.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that this was actually issued as a formal order to all the troops serving under General Ferguson, or does he mean to suggest it was only to a few specified officers?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy impression is it was only issued to a few.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSWill the right hon. Gentleman make some further inquiries into it? Does he not see it makes a very great difference to the officers?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is the explanation I had, but I will look into it again.
Mr. F. HALLIf I put a question down on the Paper next week, will the right hon. Gentleman be in a position to give me a reply?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI hope after these Debates we may be spared any further inquiries of that kind.
Mr. F. HALLDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think this is a most important question, and that information ought to be communicated to the House and to the country?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYou will get the information.
Mr. HARCOURTMay I ask the Prime Minister was the first publication in the "Times" newspaper, and how that came to be the case?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI cannot say.
50. Captain FABERasked the Prime Minister whether Sir Arthur Paget had any communication, verbal or otherwise, with the First Lord of the Admiralty with reference to operations in Ulster prior to the 21st March?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Churchill)I was present at the regular discussions which took place.
Captain FABERAre we to understand that Sir A. Paget, who was Commander-in-Chief in Ireland, knew nothing whatever about the movement of the fleet, although he was responsible for the safety of Ireland?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLHe knew everything about it.
55. Mr. F. HALL (Dulwich)asked the Prime Minister what were the reasons which account for the Admiralty delaying until 19th March the instructions to the Third Battle Squadron to proceed to Lamlash which were decided upon by the Cabinet on 11th March?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a question for the Admiralty.
Mr. F. HALLArising out of that answer may I ask the right hon. Gentleman why no representative of the Admiralty is present on the Treasury Bench?
§ Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEDid we not understand from the Prime Minister yesterday that orders issued from the Admiralty were issued with his knowledge; therefore, why is he unable to reply to the question?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have nothing to add to the statements already made to the House.
Mr. F. HALLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that an answer to this question has not been given, and will he be good enough to inform the House when this alteration was made?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have nothing to add to the statement I have already made.
Mr. F. HALLMay I draw attention to the fact that the right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question?
§ 65. Mr. BOYTONasked the Prime Minister why the Third Battle Squadron was ordered to Lamlash, whilst the vice-admiral commanding the Third Battle Squadron was to come to London and subsequently rejoin the squadron overland at Lamlash?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Dulwich yesterday.