asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, although dredging has been proceeding day and night in Dover Harbour for some years, the silting is so serious that night dredging, which has been stopped for two months, has had to be resumed; whether this silting is due to faulty construction of the entrances to the harbour; and what steps the Admiralty are taking to put the harbour in an efficient state?

There has been no cessation of night dredging; the work has been proceeded with both day and night without intermission. The required depths have not yet been obtained. The silting which is taking place is not due to faulty construction of the entrances, but is, in a great measure, the natural sequence to the large dredging operations now in progress, and will be dealt with in due course.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state to the House how many ships of all classes building for the Navy have been delayed in their completion through strikes and other labour troubles; and what are their names and the period for which each ship was delayed?

I hope to deal generally with this subject when the Naval Estimates are under discussion, but it would not be in the public interest to give the details for which the Noble Lord asks.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the ship's police have been abolished in His Majesty's ship "Queen Mary"; and, if so, how many extra petty officers Have been told off to carry out the duties of ship's police in that ship?

Yes, Sir. One chief petty officer and five petty officers have been allowed to the ship additional to her ordinary complement, in order that the work usually performed by ship's police may be carried out by the petty officers of the ship.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any of the meat supplied by Messrs. Thomas Borthwick and Sons to the War Office was rejected by the military authorities as unfit for human food; and, if so, how much, and on what dates?

On 4th October 744 lbs. and on 30th November 306 lbs. of meat, which had been accepted from Messrs. Borthwick under their then existing contract by Army inspecting officers, was rejected on arrival at its destination as unfit for issue. After investigation it was decided that the condition of the meat was due to delay in transit. There were no other rejections.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether, in the month of August last, there was an alteration made in the specification for the supply of meat to the British Army consisting of the insertion that in the case of Australian fore-quarters from which the flanks and briskets had been removed the minimum weight shall be 110 lbs.; and, if so, with what object this alteration was made and by whose advice?

In the course of 1913 it was found that the restrictions in regard to the removal of flanks and briskets from fore-quarters involved a larger reduction in the weight of the fore-quarter than was originally expected, and it was accordingly decided after taking expert advice to reduce the specified minimum weight in such cases from 130 to 110 lbs. The alteration came into partial operation on 1st June last, and into general operation on 1st October last.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the dates, terms, and duration of the contract entered into by the War Office with Messrs. Thomas Borthwick and Sons for the supply to the Army of Australian frozen beef, under the terms of the amended specification; were Messrs. Borthwick and Sons invited to tender for the said contract; and, if so, will he give the date upon which their tender was invited and received?

The contract with Messrs. T. Borthwick and Sons, Limited, was dated 30th July, 1913; the terms are shown in the printed conditions of tender,, a copy of which I will send to the hon. Gentleman. The duration of the contract was from 1st October, 1913, to 31st December, 1913. Tender forms were issued to a, large number of importers, including Messrs. Borthwick, on the 9th July, and tenders were received on the prescribed forms on 23rd July, the appointed day for their return.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, under the order increasing the pay of officers in the Army captains are not to receive an increase of pay until they have had three years' service in the rank of captain as well as a total service of twelve years; whether, in the Artillery and regiments where promotion is slow, officers are frequently not promoted captain until they have served for twelve years and upwards; and whether it is proposed to remove the hardship that such officers should have to wait a further period of three years before receiving the increased pay, whereas, in the Cavalry and in regiments where promotion has been quick, captains receive the increased pay on a total service of twelve years?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Promotion in the Cavalry and Infantry usually, and in the Royal Engineers and Army Service Corps always takes place before twelve years' service. This does not apply to the Royal Artillery. It is not practicable under our present system to equalise conditions in all arms.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the fact that there is a King's premium stallion allotted to the county of Shropshire, he can say why no King's premium stallion has stood or travelled in South Shropshire for the last three years?

It has not been possible to provide more than one King's Premium stallion to Shropshire during the last three years, and its route has, on the advice of the Light Horse Breeding Committee for the county, been confined to the northern part of the county. Though unable to provide more than one King's Premium to the county, the Board have been prepared to award a Board's Premium to a stallion to travel in South Shropshire, but the County Committee have not been, able to recommend a horse for this grant. If they do so this season, the Board will give the recommendation favourable consideration.