§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDfurther asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, during the late manœuvres, the reserve battleships had on board each of them from 400 to 500 Reserve men made up 2949W of pensioners, Immediate Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve, and Coastguards, most of these ships having from only fifty to eighty active service ratings on board; and whether he can inform the House how many days would elapse before the Admiralty think a vessel manned in such a manner would be efficient to fight an action?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThis question has been put down in a form which is very likely to mislead the public. No Reservists at all were employed upon the ships of the Second Fleet with the exception of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron. Reservists were employed upon ships of the Third Fleet, and this is the proper arrangement upon which their mobilisation is based. The figures given by the Noble Lord are inaccurate. Considerably more than half of the total complements employed on the battleships of the Third Fleet were composed of active service ratings of the Navy. In no case did the number of active service ratings fall below double the maximum number stated by the Noble Lord, and in the case of half the Third Fleet battleships employed the number of active service ratings was five times the maximum number given by the Noble Lord. The last part of the Noble Lord's question is a matter of opinion, but there is no reason to doubt that the Third Fleet ships mobilised for the manœuvres would compare favourably in fighting efficiency with the reserve squadrons of any navy in the world, and as a matter of fact these vessels acquitted themselves very satisfactorily during the manœuvres, in which they were employed under the most severe conditions.
§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Reserve men who volunteered for the manœuvres were supplied by the Admiralty with only one serge suit, in which they had to coal, muster, and carry on their other duties; and whether he is aware that some of the pensioners who served in the Fleet for the manœuvres had not been to sea for fifteen years?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA kit sufficient for the short period of the manœuvres was supplied to all pensioners employed, and the serge suit was supplemented by a duck suit in cases in which it was considered necessary. In all, 123 volunteer pensioners were accepted for service in the manœuvre fleets out of total complements of nearly2950W 80,000 men. There is no information as to the time individuals among these 123 had been absent from the sea, but I understand that they were found to be active, able-bodied, and well-conducted men. I am not prepared to waste the time of the Department, which is already fully occupied, on inquiries into a few odd cases to which in any event no objection should be taken.