4. Sir H. DALZIELasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the date on which Admiral Jellicoe's message to the Grand Fleet, published in the Press on 13th June, was first communicated to the officers and men; and can he explain the delay, if any, in its publication?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Commander-in-Chief's message was dated the 4th June, and no doubt reached a considerable part of the Fleet on that or the following day. It was received at the Admiralty on the 10th June, and two days later an inaccurate copy was submitted by a provincial newspaper to the Press Bureau for permission to publish. The Commander-in-Chief's consent to its publication was sought on the same day, and it was published the following day. It was not written with a view to publication, and such delay as there was does not appear to require any explanation.
Sir H. DALZIELDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that in future, when the Admiralty are issuing the messages of the Commander-in-Chief, it would be more courteous to him to affix the date on which the message is written; does he also observe the significance of the message nearly a fortnight after it was written, having regard to the reference to the number of enemy vessels destroyed; would it therefore not be advisable to have published the date?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn regard to the first point, I think that could be very well done.