§ Mr. KINGasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will advise the amendment of the Admiralty Regulations so as to provide thereunder for every man and boy in His Majesty's naval service being supplied with a copy of the Bible or New Testament if he desires one?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAEvery boy under training in the Royal Navy who attends church on board receives a Prayer Book, and, when kitted up for sea, a Bible, if he so desire. All stokers and marine recruits on entry are given a Bible, if they desire it. There are a certain number of ratings who do not fall within the categories mentioned, but with these exceptions there is no reason why every man in the Royal Navy should not, under ordinary conditions, possess a Bible provided at the public expenses. Over and above this, more than 100,000 Now Testaments have been sent to His Majesty's ships since the outbreak of the War by various religious societies and private individuals, and the chaplain of the Fleet is constantly sending largo numbers of copies of the New Testament given by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Scripture Gift Mission to ships as requests are made by the chaplain or the commanding officer.