I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can say on how many occasions since the year 1878 a Roman Catholic chaplain has accompanied a squadron of the Navy, in accordance with the Admiralty minute of that year.

No Roman Catholic priest has accompanied a squadron, the occasion required by the Minute referred to not having arisen. On two occasions Roman Catholic priests have been specially appointed to minister to squadrons, namely, at Crete in 1898, and in the North of China last year.