§ 14. Mr. COVEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of commissions a warded to the lower deck for sublieutenant and sub-lieutenant (E); the number of special entry cadets to be entered for executive and engineering 862 duties; and the total number of cadets to be entered at Dartmouth College this year?
Lord STANLEYSix general service ratings and four engineering ratings have been promoted to acting sub-lieutenant and acting sub-lieutenant (E), respectively, in 1933. Twenty-three special entry cadets (executive), 11 special entry cadets (engineering) and 104 Dartmouth cadets have been entered this year. The above figures represent the totals for the year.
§ 15. Mr. COVEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of officers, ex-cadet and ex-mate, respectively, now undergoing the long specialist courses for gunnery, torpedo, navigation, signals, wireless telegraphy, anti-submarine, physical and recreational training and staff duties; and the number of ex-mates to be selected for next year's courses?
Lord STANLEYThe numbers of officers ex-cadet undergoing the gunnery, torpedo and staff duties courses are 10, 8 and 18 respectively. No officers ex-mate are undergoing these courses. The remaining courses mentioned in the question are not running at present.
No ex-mates have been selected to undergo next year's courses in gunnery, signals and wireless telegraphy, anti-submarine and staff duties. Officers have not yet been selected for next year's torpedo, navigation and physical and recreational training courses.
§ 16. Mr. COCKSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the ages of each one of the six sub-lieutenants, ex-lower deck, in January, 1934, and the maximum and minimum ages of the sub-lieutenants, ex-cadet, with whom the former will then commence courses?
Lord STANLEYThe ages on the 1st January, 1934, of the six acting sublieutenants promoted from the lower deck in 1933 will be as follow:
| 21 years | 5 months. |
| 21 years | 10 months. |
| 22 years | 0 months. |
| 22 years | 6 months. |
| 24 years | 7 months. |
| 25 years | 4 months. |
§ The minimum and maximum ages on the same date of the acting sub-lieutenants, ex-cadet, with whom the six will join up will be 20 years 1 month and 22 years.
863§ 17. Mr. COCKSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of Lieutenant-Commanders in the zone for promotion to Commander on 31st December next; the number of promotions to be made; the number of Lieutenant-Commanders (ex-mate) in the zone; and the number of the latter now serving in fully-commissioned ships of the sea-going Fleet?
Lord STANLEYThe number of Lieutenant-Commanders in the zone for promotion to Commander on 31st December next is 421 including ex-Mates. The number of promotions to be made is 25. The number of Lieutenant-Commanders (ex-Mate) in the zone is 30, including three who are not qualified by sea service for promotion: 17 of these are serving in fully commissioned ships of the seagoing Fleet.
§ 18. Mr. COCKSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty why only six of the final 12 candidates recommended by the Fleet selection boards for commissions under the new sub-Lieutenant scheme were promoted, as against 12 commissions awarded in 1931 and in 1932 under the old Mate scheme of promotion from the lower deck?
Lord STANLEYThe number of commissions given in 1932 was 8 and not 12. The old regulations did not provide for any further selection of candidates after they had once been put forward by the Fleet Committees. The new system of selection by a Final Selection Board after the preliminary course of training may in some years lessen the numbers from which the final choice is made. I would add that the average number promoted to commissioned rank in the years 1923 to 1930 is 6½.