§ 8. Commander Viscount CURZONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any decision has been arrived at as regards the composition of the following commands: the Atlantic, Home, China, Cape, South America, East Indies, and West Atlantic stations; and can he state under whose command these squadrons will be placed in cases where the command has been decided?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid I can only refer my Noble and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on the 12th March relative to the provisional composition of the Mediterranean Squadron, in which I explained that the disposition, composition, and names of other fleets and squadrons has been settled provisionally, but as the eventual disposition and strength of units both in home waters and abroad must be dependent in many respects on the Peace settlement, the present provisional arrangement is liable to revision, and it would be misleading to make it public at present.
Admiral Sir Charles Madden will be in Chief Command of the Home and Atlantic Fleets. The command of squadrons abroad can only be finally determined upon when the strength at which those squadrons are to be maintained is fixed.