§ Sir R. GOWERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that only two out of the 10 heavy ships in commission are manned from Chatham, Kent, and that only two cruisers, "Hawkins" and "York," are so manned from Chatham; and whether he will consider the desirability of causing additional ships to be manned from Chatham, so that the relative number of ships so manned shall be equal to those manned from other naval dockyard towns?
Mr. ALEXANDERI am unable to reconcile the figures in the first part of the question with the facts as shown in the Navy List. A perusal of the latter will show that a proper proportion of the ships of the Royal Navy is manned from Chatham.