asked the Prime Minister whether any provision beyond the Government Air-craft Damage Insurance scheme can be made for the compensation of voluntary hospitals in which wounded soldiers are received free of charge against such damage?

Now that the Government insurance scheme, with moderate rates of premium, is in operation, it would, I am afraid, be impossible to make any payment even in the case of a voluntary hospital unless the property is insured under the scheme.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can give the latest figures of the total casualties among the British Forces in all the fields of operations up to the latest available date?

submitted the following:—

NAVAL CASUALTIES, UP TO 20TH JULY.
Officers.
Killed	…	…	499
Wounded	…	…	87
Missing	…	…	29
				615
Men.
Killed	…	…	7,430
Wounded	…	…	787
Missing	…	…	274
				8,491
Total				9,106

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the fact that merchant vessels in the American trade are more often in the danger zone of submarines than merchant vessels in any other oceanic trade, whether advantage has been taken of the American Government's statement of 20th September, 1914, that belligerent merchant vessels may carry an. armament for defensive purposes in American ports, provided that evidence is given which establishes its defensive character?

I do not think it would be in the public interest to deal with the point raised in the hon. and gallant Member's question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether steps have been taken to ensure that soldiers whose nerves have given way under the strain of active service shall not be unjustly punished; and whether any precautions are taken as regards those who may appear to be constitutionally unfitted to stand such strain?

In the matter of punishment every consideration is given by the responsible officers to the cases of soldiers whose nerves have given way under the strain of active service conditions, and I may also state that the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force is sending back men who, in his opinion, are unable to stand the strain of active service. The hon. Gentleman will no doubt remember the passing of the Suspension of Sentences Act, 1915.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he can give the total number of British clearing hospitals or stations in France?

Twenty-seven.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the arrangement with regard to the promotion of supplementary officers of the Special Reserve pari passu with other officers of the Special Reserve already announced by him is misunderstood by some commanding officers, who recommend for promotion officers of their own reserve battalion who are junior to such supplementary officers; and if he will take steps to make the new arrangement generally known by Army Order?

If any commanding officer has any doubt as to how promotions should be made in the case of Special Reserve officers, supplementary or otherwise, he should refer to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief. Full instructions have been issued to these officers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Fraulein von Rotten, of the German Red Cross Society, is shortly coming to England; and, if so, under what conditions and restrictions?

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend earlier this afternoon in reply to the Hon. Member for the St. Augustine's Division.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether any arrangements have been made to train disabled soldiers for civil employment?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for the Maidstone Division on the 1st July.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he can give a summary of the findings of the Report of the military inquiry into the affairs of the Empire Battalion; and whether he will circulate the Report, without the evidence, with the Votes?

As I have stated, the Report will be laid upon the Table of the House, and I hope that copies may be available some time to-morrow.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will state how many Army schoolmasters now serving have applied for commissions; and why none of this particular class of warrant officer has been granted His Majesty's commission?

Eighty-three Army schoolmasters have applied for commissions. I stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 12th July that the educational necessities of the Army must be safeguarded. The object of giving commissions from the ranks is to obtain officers provided with the requisite military knowledge to become leaders of men, but the training the Army schoolmasters have had is not in this direction.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the desire of Army schoolmasters to join the combatant ranks, he will arrange for the services of pensioned Army schoolmasters and serving Army schoolmistresses to be utilised so as to free a number of schoolmasters holding warrant rank for service in the combatant ranks?

Owing to the rank they hold, Army schoolmasters would only be eligible for the highest combatant warrant ranks, for which their training as Army schoolmasters does not suit them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that cases have arisen where the Ordnance Department have authorised the issue of marquees for summer camps, but the issue has been refused on the ground that they are not available; whether he is aware that in such cases regiments have to pay for hiring this necessary accommodation; and whether he will provide for such expenses to be repaid?

Instructions were issued to the commands in April last that, where necessary and possible, the local hiring of marquees may be resorted to, the cost being recoverable from the public provided it does not exceed the scale laid down.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state the names of the two armament firms who entered into an agreement with Messrs. Krupp's to continue charging His Majesty's Government a royalty or commission on fuses though the patent under which the fuses are made expired in July, 1914; whether, seeing that this arrangement affects the prices charged to His Majesty's Government, he will say what is the lump sum paid by way of royalty or commission to 30th June, 1915; whether the Law Officers have been consulted as to the legal position of armament firms in this country charging His Majesty's Government royalty or commission on an expired patent; and, if so, will he say what advice the Law Officers have given on the question?

It is understood that Messrs. Vickers and the Coventry Ordnance Works entered into an agreement to continue to make certain payments to Messrs. Krupp's in connection with fuses after the expiry of the patent in question. This is a private arrangement, in which the War Office has no power to intervene. I am unable to say to what extent it has affected the prices charged to His Majesty's Government for fuses or what is the total amount to 30th June, 1915. A case is being prepared for submission to the Law Officers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is now in a position to inform the House if any decision has been arrived at with regard to the pay of clerks and writers employed under the War Office; and, if so, can he say when that decision will be put into force?

No decision has yet been reached, but I hope it will be possible to make an announcement before long.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether all sales of hay in the South-West of Scotland have been stopped by order of the Government; whether he is aware of the hardship upon farmers who are dependant for the payment of their rents, now falling due, upon the proceeds of these sales; and whether anything can be done to meet their case?

There is no intention of stopping sales of hay in Scotland. Scottish farmers have been invited to offer any hay which they may have for disposal to the forage purchasing officers before disposing of it elsewhere. The agreements for purchase can be concluded between the farmer and the purchasing officer on the spot, and advance payments can be made without delay, although the hay remains temporarily on the farmer's hands.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that troops of the Expeditionary Force awaiting embarkation for the Dardanelles are refused Colonial allowance, whilst troops of the Army of Occupation, Egypt, stationed in the same camp, are receiving, it; will he state why this distinction is made; and whether he will take immediate steps to effect a satisfactory adjustment?

Colonial allowance is designed to meet the extra cost of residing regularly in Egypt for prolonged periods. It is issued to all whose stay there exceeds fourteen days, but not to those who are landed for shorter periods.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if his attention has been drawn to the case of the widow and six children of the late Driver J. Woolley, 91907, Royal Field Artillery, whose death was reported on the 22nd February last, and whose widow has been informed that, as her husband's death was not sustained in the performance of military duties, although it is claimed that the deceased soldier met his death when crossing a bridge with his gun, she is not eligible for a pension from Army funds; whether he is aware that Mrs. Woolley has been informed that the separation allowance and allotment of pay will only continue to be paid temporarily; and if he will consider the possibility of granting the widow a permanent allowance?

Under the Report of the Select Committee, separation allowance cannot be continued beyond six months from the date of notification of death.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the Stockton Heath Spade Company, Warringon, has a contract for the supply of material to the War Department; that the firm declines to pay workmen engaged on overtime at the proper rate of time and a half and allege that the contract prices allowed do not permit of such remuneration being given and that the Government agent has refused to revise the contract prices; and if he will have inquiry made and request the firm to pay the current rates of wages in accordance with the Fair-Wages Resolution of the House of Commons?

The firm named hold contracts for the War Department. I have not received any complaint as to the rate paid by them to workmen when engaged on overtime, but inquiry will be made on the subject.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office (1) whether, in consequence of over-buying, the War Office Department responsible therefor placed some thousands of cases of bacon for sale last week on Smithfield Market, as well as with adjacent houses; and, if so, will he state the amount of loss incurred; and whether there have been similar occurrences during the past few weeks, and the amount of loss due thereto; and (2) whether, within the last few weeks, the Department responsible have over-bought cheese, and had to resell large quantities; and, if so, will he state the loss incurred?

It is true that owing to the fact that the consumption of these articles depends on the location of troops and cannot always be foreseen, we have had to sell some bacon and cheese to avoid deterioration. The loss on the sales is not yet known.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether skilled workmen who have enlisted and have since been permitted to return to their civil employment not only receive full wages as civilians from their employers, but also continue to be paid lodging allowance even when living at their own homes, while, in some cases, their wives receive in addition military separation allowance; and, if so, whether, in the interest of public economy, these military payments will in future be stopped?

The facts are not quite as stated. The soldier himself receives no military pay or allowances unless in any week his civilian earnings fall short of the sum to which he is entitled as a soldier, in which case the deficiency is made up. Separation allowance is paid only if the man is unavoidably separated from his family.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state what is the result of his inquiries as to the circulation through the British Post Office system of the publications of the German Fatherland Press, of Broadway, New York; and. whether he proposes to forbid the Post Office being made the medium to disseminate printed matter which is not only seditious, but grossly offensive to the majority of the people of this country?

We are in communication with the Home Office on the subject.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he will state the total area and the percentage of the increase of tillage in Ireland since the War began; whether the increase is confined to crops cultivated by machine labour as distinguished from manual labour; whether there is a decrease in the latter; whether the obstacles to increased food production are the failure to distribute the grass lands as Parliament intended, the non-completion of land purchase, and the dearth of rural labourers; what steps the Irish Committee on Food Production is taking with reference to each of these obstacles; and when that Committee is likely to report?

The Department are not in a position to state the total area under tillage in Ireland this year, as the compilation of the Annual Returns has not yet been completed. The following pre-

Crops.		Acreage on 1st June		Increase (+) or Decrease (—).
		1914.	1915.	Acreage.	Percentage.
Wheat	…	36,913	87,116	+50,203	+136.0
Oats	…	1,028,758	1,078,297	+49,539	+4.8
Barley	…	1712,289	142,544	-29,745	-17.3
Potatoes	…	583,069	594,801	+11,732	+2.0
Turnips	…	276,872	264,983	+11,909	-4.3
Mangels	…	81,570	84,128	+2,558	+3.1
Flax	…	49,253	53,233	+3,980	+8.1
Hay:—
First Year	…	632,486	526,502	-5,984	-1.1
Second and Third Years	…	407,255	385,160	-22,096	-5.4
Permanent Meadow	…	1,547,772	1,609,848	+61,876	+4.0

The Agricultural Statistical Returns furnished to the Department do not specifically show whether the crops have been cultivated by machine or by manual labour. With regard to the obstacles to an increase in tillage, it would appear that many farmers prefer to continue the raising and feeding of live stock. The