§ 24. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty can take steps to abolish the Royal Naval Hospital at Yokohama as a needless source of expense?
§ Mr. AMERYThe Royal Naval Hospital at Yokohama is required for the reception of convalescent cases from Hong Kong to remove them from the period of hot and damp weather experienced there. Its abolition would result in a larger number of cases being invalided home from the China Station, with the consequent inconvenience and expense. I am therefore unable to agree with the view of my hon. and gallant Friend that the hospital is a needless source of expense.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs my hon. Friend aware that, though this hospital has something like 80 or 90 beds, in the year 1920 not a single patient was accommodated, and the maximum number accommodated was only eight in recent years; and is it not ridiculous to have such expense maintained?
§ Mr. AMERYI noticed those figures, and was struck by them, but I understand that the reason was that the hospital was not open last year at the time, when patients from Hong Kong are usually sent there; but I will inquire further into the matter, and see if any economy can be effected.