asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the compulsory termination of the engagements of men to be discharged before the end of the current financial year, the Admiralty will give them the opportunity to rejoin when recruiting commences in their respective branches; and whether they will be permitted to rejoin in the rating they held on discharge?

When recruiting re-commences it will be open for discharged men, in most cases, to reenter, but it will not be possible to allow them to count their former service, as this would largely reproduce the conditions which have required the present. discharges.