§ 80. Commander BELLAIRSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the respective terms of the charges that will be brought against the former captain and commander of His Majesty's Ship "Royal Oak"; and on what date will the courts-martial assemble at Gibraltar?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe proposed courts-martial on these two officers will be convened as soon as possible by the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, upon whom also falls the responsibility of settling the charges and Circumstantial Letter. The Admiralty is anxious that the position of the three officers concerned shall not be prejudiced or prejudged either in this House or by the public, and I must ask hon. Members to show the same patience and reticence as they would show in dealing with any forthcoming trial in the civil Courts.
§ Commander BELLAIRSDoes that mean that the two officers in question are proceeding to Gibraltar without knowing what are the charges against them?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMNo, it does not. The two officers in question will be informed of the charges before they go to Gibraltar.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIf that be so, what is the objection to informing this House of the charges to be made against them?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMIt is not the custom, and never has been the custom of the Admiralty to divulge charges in a court-martial.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs not the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in this case, owing to the extraordinary stories that have appeared, the accounts of this episode, and its rarity, it is very necessary that the whole of the facts should become available to the public? Does the Admiraly, therefore, take upon itself to say that the terms of reference are such that the whole of the facts will be properly examined?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe Admiralty sees no reason why these courts-martial should be any different from other courts-martial.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the hon. and gallant Member aware that we have to go back over 100 years for an example of a Rear-Admiral hauling down his flag, and, in view of the rarity of this case, does he not see that this is not an ordinary court-martial and that the public will expect full information?
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs my hon. and gallant Friend aware that the experience of all lawyers who have pleaded before courts-martial, whether military or naval, is that they are the fairest courts in existence?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYThere is no question about the fairness of a court-martial, but is it not the case that if the court is restricted too narrowly the facts cannot be properly examined?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMAll these facts are just as clear to the Admiralty as they are to the hon. and gallant Member.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESMay I ask whether these courts-martial are to be held on board one of His Majesty's ships, and whether facilities will be granted to the public to attend?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe First Lord of the Admiralty informed the House two days ago that the public will be able to attend.
§ Commander BELLAIRSMay I ask whether Tuesday next is the earliest day 570 on which the House will know the charges made against these two officers and whether any further court-martial is going to take place, seeing that it is stated in the newspapers that Rear-Admiral Collard is on half-pay.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI cannot give the House any further information than I have already given. I have no reason to suppose that there is going to be a further court-martial. That is pure hypothesis.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESWill the promise that the public will be admitted be rendered nugatory by the lack of facilities for going aboard the vessel?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI am not going beyond what the First Lord said the other day.