§ 49. Sir B. FALLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many chief and petty officers' messes in the shore establishments at Portsmouth, Devonport, Chatham and Rosyth have elected to be messed on the general messing system; and if he can give any reasons why this system of messing is unpopular with chief and petty officers?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe reply to the first part of the question is, six. As regards the second part, there is no reason to think that the general mess system, as such, is unpopular with chief petty officers or petty officers in shore establishments, but, generally speaking, it suits their convenience and peculiar circumstances to run their own messing.