§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a sum, not exceeding £2,385,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the expense of Victualling and Clothing fur the Navy, in-eluding the cost of Victualling Establishments at Home and Abroad, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st claw of March, 1920. in addition to a sum of.£7,623,000 to be allocated for this purpose from the sum of £120,000,000 voted on account of Navy Services generally.
Lieut.-Colonel MALONEIs any item in this Vote going to provide clothes and food for the naval prisoners of war in Russia? Whether we agree with those operations or not—and I certainly do not, for I consider that those gallant officers were sent on a wild adventure which no Government was justified in sending them on—we are all agreed that those very courageous and gallant officers were only doing their duty. In view of the apparent collapse of the Conference at Copenhagen are any steps being taken to supply these officers and men with the clothes and food which they require?
§ Mr. LONGThis Vote covers all supplies for clothing and victualling. The hon. and gallant Member may rest assured that anything which the Government can do to avoid suffering by these gallant officers and men who are prisoners of war as a result of the part they played when doing their duty as fighting men will be done by us. How much we can do I do not know, but what we can do we certainly will do.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYdesire to ask questions on two points, and, as it is a constitutional right to redress grievances before granting Supply, and this is the only opportunity for a private Member to raise these points, I make no apology for keeping the Committee a few moments. In Chatham Barracks there are complaints as to the food supply. There are 2,000 ratings, and as men are always away on leave the Admiralty does not need to expend the whole of the victualling allowance for the whole of these men. The money is the savings of the men, and what I want to know is, if there are economies in this way, do they go to the Treasury or, as we in the Navy think they should go, to the men. Then there are complaints, about the preparation of the food, particularly in Chatham Barracks. It is a grievance which the men have brought forward in the ordinary way, but there has not been much improvement. I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that that is the case, in order that he can put it right. Another matter is that there has been great delay in the decision as to the uniform of petty officers. Ever since I have been in the Navy, petty officers have been asking respectfully and appealing loyally for the new uniform similar to that of the chief petty officers and known in Navy parlance as the fore-and-aft rig. It has been approved, I understand, but the decision has not yet come out. These men are in this condition — that when they want new clothing they do not know whether to purchase the old petty officer's rig or the new rig not yet 'sanctioned. Finally, may I hope that better steps will be taken —I believe it is being done—for the comfort, in the way of fresh provisions and canteen supplies, of our gallant forces in the Baltic! The countries there are swept clear of food, everything is at famine prices, and they have been deprived of the usual depot ships that ought to accompany light flotillas wherever they go. Presumably it was thought that the ships would be in that neighbourhood for a week only. Some ships are staying for the winter at Copenhagen and other ports. I hope the Admiralty will take steps to see that depot ships and proper canteens are sent out, and that there is a proper supply of provisions.
§ Sir T. BRAMSDONHas any decision been come to with reference to the Royal Marines hat, which is so much like a German hat, and is objected to by them?
§ Mr. LONGSome of these questions have taken me a little by surprise. There has certainly- been 1no decision about the Marine's hat. With regard to the questions put by the hon. and gallant Member for hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), I understand that he has written about some complaint concerning the catering at Chatham. The complaint certainly has not reached me. I was not aware that there was any well-founded grievance. It is not difficult to find people who will make complaints in any mess or in any barracks, but certainly no serious complaints have reached me. If there are any complaints which have reached the hon. and gallant Member, and he will be good enough to send them to my right hon. Friend (Dr. Maenamara) or myself, I will undertake that they will at once be inquired into. With regard to the surplus funds, I know nothing about it. Before I could answer I must know whether it is a question of the canteen mess, in which case, of course, the men would be, entitled to the surplus money, or whether it merely means that there are not as many men as we are supposed to feed, in which case the Treasury would be entitled to the money.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIt is the general mess.
§ Mr. LONGIf the hon. and gallant Member will communicate the facts to me I will inquire into the matter. With regard to the Baltic, it is true that in the early part of the year there was an unfortunate failure, for which no one was directly to blame, in supplying satisfactory food to the ships there. It has long ago been put right. I have ascertained that at the present moment, beyond all question of doubt, everything is thoroughly satisfactory, and I can assure the Committee that every station, at Copenhagen or any other port in the Baltic, will be amply provided for, and we will take every precaution to see that the men serving in these difficult conditions are well fed and well clothed, and that the ships have every reasonable accommodation.
Question put, and agreed to.