LORD MUSKERRYMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether in April of last year the Merchant Service Guild drew attention to the dangers to merchant shipping caused by naval ships manœuvring at night time without lights; whether this organisation was then assured by the Admiralty that the greatest care is taken on the occasions in question to avoid accident; whether in 14 the following July, H.M.S. "Trafalgar,' steaming without lights, collided with the passenger steamer "King Orry"; and, if so, whether the Admiralty have taken any further steps in averting the appalling loss of life which may at any time arise through the practice referred to.
§ *THE EARL OF SELBORNEThe noble Lord asks mo whether in April of last year the Merchant Service Guild drew attention to the dangers to merchant shipping caused by naval ships manœuvring at night time without lights. I am informed that the Admiralty had no communication of any sort with this body before October of last year.† The noble Lord's second question was whether this organisation was then assured by the Admiralty that the greatest care is taken on the occasions in question to avoid accident. As there was no communication at that time, of course the Admiralty could not have given this assurance. If there had been, the Admiralty would certainly have done so, because under all circumstances the greatest care is taken when His Majesty's ships have to manoeuvre without lights to avoid accidents. The third question which the noble Lord asked was whether in the following July H.M.S. "Trafalgar," steaming without lights, collided with the passenger steamer "King Orry"; and, if so, whether the Admiralty have taken any further steps in averting the appalling loss of life which may at any time arise through the practice referred to. So far as I can gather, there has never been any other occasion on which any one of His Majesty's ships when navigating without lights has ever collided with another ship; and as on this occasion, owing to I the skill of the officers in command, both of the "Trafalgar" and the passenger steamer, the collision that took place was very slight and no loss of life occurred, I am not prepared to admit that the risk is a serious one in any degree. This being so, I cannot consent to take any steps that would hinder the practice of the Navy in evolutions which are absolutely necessary for a proper training for war.