§ Colonel GREIGasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the respective numbers of recruits, whether boys or adults, accepted for the Navy, Marines, the Naval Volunteers, and the Royal Naval Reserve, respectively, in each year from 1900 to 1912, inclusive?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt would involve a considerable amount of work to give the complete figures for the earlier years, as the figures immediately available give only the ratings entered through the Recruiting Service, and exclude men and boys entered by competitive examination and domestics entered direct at the Ports. The following statement gives the numbers or recruits accepted for the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve, and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during each of the last five years.—
— 1908–09. 1909–10. 1910–11. 1911–12. 1912–13. Royal Navy— Men 4,538 6,258 7,841 6,578 8,428 Boys 3,147 3,824 4,177 4,998 7,416 Total 7,685 10,082 12,018 11,576 15,844 Royal Marines (including R.M. Band)— Men 646 740 935 1,290 1,909 Boys 175 281 157 266 215 Total 821 1,021 1,092 1,556 2,124 Royal Naval Reserve 583 1,282 1,289 989 944 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 1,269 1,204 788 1,055 1,183