§ 6. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India, considering that three out of the five mail steamers sailing from India in March and the beginning of April are cargo boats without any accommodation for passengers, and that the greater part of the accommodation on those two remaining steamers has already been commandeered by the Admiralty, what steps are being taken to provide accommodation for the very large number of people, especially women and children, who have been stranded in India during the War, before the commencement of the monsoon in June next?
§ Mr. FISHERthe provision of sufficient accommodation for the very large number of persons now in India, especially the women, the children, and the sick, whose repatriation before the commencement of the monsoon is urgently necessary, has been for some months the subject of anxious consultation between the Secretary of State and the Ministry of Shipping. It is believed that the arrangements now made will provide for all urgent cases. Additional steamers have been allotted to the Bombay run by the Ministry of Shipping, and the largest of these, the steamship "Ormonde," will leave Bombay next month with about 1,000 passengers. The regular steamship lines are actively co-operating, and the smaller boats of the British India and P. and O. Companies have arranged to carry about an extra 250 passengers each. The R.I.M. Steamship "Dufferin" is being fitted up to carry some 500 passengers, and certain prize ships will be similarly employed. All available accommodation in ambulance transports running between India and Marseilles is also being used for the conveyance of ordinary passengers.
§ Colonel YATECan the right hon. Gentleman say how many of these ships have been placed on this service, and whether any of the Royal Indian Marine ships have been used for this purpose?
§ Mr. FISHERAs I said in the reply, one of the Royal Indian Marine ships is being fitted up to carry 500 passengers. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman will give notice of the other part of the question I will inquire.