§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the average age at which chief petty officers of the seamen, signal, wireless and stoker branches are promoted to that rating?
Mr. DAVIDSONTaking the average ages for the three home ports combined for the March quarter of this year the figures are:
Mechanicians who are advanced under a special scheme average 32.
- C.P.O. (Seamen Branch), 35 years 4 months.
264 - Chief Yeoman of Signals, 36 years 6 months.
- C.P.O. Telegraphist, 32 years.
- Chief Stoker, 36 years 4 months.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the percentage of chief petty officers, petty officers, and leading rates to the total in the seamen, signal, wireless, and stoker branches?
Mr. DAVIDSONThe percentages are as follow:
Per Cent. Seamen Branch (including S.S. men and natives but omitting boys under training) 25 Signal Branch 47 Wireless Branch 42 Stoker Branch 38* * Acting leading stokers are reckoned among the higher ratings.