§ 17. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state when he expects to be able to apply the principle of only sending volunteers for such service to fight against the Soviet Government of Russia to the Royal Navy, as is already the case in His Majesty's Army?
§ Mr. LONGI have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member in answer to his similar question on the 29th of October.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a 1776 great many of these men enlisted to take part in the war against Germany and are feeling their position very keenly?
§ Mr. LONGI am not aware that anybody enlisted in the Navy to take part in the war against Germany. On the contrary, the Navy is a voluntary enlistment service, and everybody who enlists in the Navy enlists for general service and to obey orders. I am not aware of any foundation for the suggestion that enlistment was in any single case made for any particular seat of war. As regards the discontent, there has been some unfortunate evidence of discontent. Those are matters which the Board of Admiralty are inquiring into, but it has nothing to do with the question the hon. and gallant Gentleman asks, namely, whether these men shall be treated as volunteers or as conscripts.