§ THE EARL OF HARDWICKEsaid, he thought it but due to himself to make an explanation with respect to some remarks which fell from him a few nights ago in the course of a discussion upon the Naval Reserve Force Bill. He had received from the Mercantile Marine Association of Liverpool a letter protesting against an expression used by him, to the effect that the merchant seamen were not true sailors, but that they were merely persons who understood the propulsion of vessels by steam. He would substitute the word "seaman" for "sailor;" but with that 686 qualification he must adhere to his opinion. All men who were engaged in navigation were sailors; but seamen were men who were perfect in their profession as it was understood under the old system. At the time that he made the observations which were complained of their Lordships were discussing a proposition which he had made, that the officers of the Mercantile Marine should undergo an examination before they took charge of Her Majesty's ships. His reason for making that proposition was that the officers obtained from the merchant service would come principally from the vessels of the large steamship companies, which performed long voyages, and in which steam, instead of being as it was in Her Majesty's ships only an auxiliary, was the principal motive power, and they would, therefore, not have so complete a knowledge of the use of masts and sails as would be required for the efficient management of one of Her Majesty's ships. He did not mean to give any offence; on the contrary, he had a high opinion of the officers of the merchant service; but he had commanded a line-of-battle ship, and had had under his command officers who, having served mainly or exclusively in steamships, did not seem to be aware what could be done with a vessel trusting solely to her masts and sails. Moreover, he believed that in the merchant service the ships were completely rigged and fitted before the officers went on board; and, therefore, he felt himself justified in saying that the officers in that service did not obtain so complete a knowledge of practical seamanship as was possessed by the officers of Her Majesty's Navy. He made this statement because, as he had been misunderstood by the public, he might have been misunderstood by some of their Lordships; and in conclusion he begged to say that he entertained great respect for the officers of the Mercantile Marine.