§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether alien captains have since the Armistice been employed on British ships; and whether such alien captains include enemy aliens?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty have not authorised any alien captains to be employed in command of British ships, but it is possible that some have been engaged by shipowners. As confidential instructions are not now issued, there is no check on such employment, except that the employment of enemy aliens is not permitted. A regulation has, however, been prepared by the Board of Trade and the Admiralty which will forbid the employment (except with the sanction of either of these Departments) of anyone as master of a British ship unless he is a natural-born British subject, and the son of parents who were at the time of his birth British subjects by birth or naturalisation. This regulation will be issued very shortly under the Defence of the Realm Act.