asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether warrant engineers and engine-room artificers, Royal Naval Reserve, are eligible for promotion to temporary engineer-lieutenant, although they have been repeatedly recommended by their commander for commisioned rank; and, if not, whether power is being taken to promote exceptionally deserving and well qualified men?

Authority has been obtained for the promotion of a limited number of warrant engineers and enginercom artificers, Royal Naval Reserve, to the temporary rank of engineer-sub-lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve, and provision is made for further promotion, after one year's service, to the rank of engineer-lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve. Orders on the subject have now been issued to the Fleet.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether naval chaplains and naval surgeons who were present at the landing and subsequent operations at Gallipoli will be asked to give evidence before the Dardanelles Commission?

This is entirely a question for the Commissioners themselves to determine.

If those surgeons and chaplains are not called, a great deal of very valuable evidence will be left out which should be heard?

Is it for the. Commission to carry out its duties. The Commission is empowered to call anyone it pleases, provided, of course, the presence of the witnesses can be arranged subject to the exigencies of the Service, and there is no other proviso.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any air raids have been made, or attempted, on the German coast other than those of 25th December, 1914, and 25th March, 1916; and, if so, when and with what results?

Other attempts have been made than those referred to by my hon. Friend; but owing to weather conditions, they have not been successful.

Is the statement that appeared in a German paper that there was a British raid on 22nd October correct?

I cannot say. I do not know the statements to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether, at the outbreak of war, the supply of anti-fouling composition to the Admiralty was exclusively, or almost exclusively, in the hands of the British Anti-Fouling Company, Sutter, Hartmann, and Company, the Moravia Company, and Holzapfel and Company; whether all these companies are, or then were, in the control of enemy aliens and employed German or Austrian capital; if he will say whether any of these companies are still supplying material to the British Navy; and, if so, whether it is because no British manufacturers are able to supply the requisite material; and (2) having regard to the possibility of information being conveyed to the enemy as to work proceeding in dockyards by contractors to the Admiralty, whether he can give an assurance that no firm or company in which enemy aliens, or naturalised enemy aliens, have any interest, financial or otherwise, is being or will be employed by the Admiralty to provide material for the Navy?

The compositions supplied by the companies mentioned by my hon. and learned Friend are among the dozen or more brands, most of them manufactured by firms understood to be exclusively British, which are, and have been, used in the Royal Navy, and they are among the most efficacious. The formulae of the paints in question are believed to be of foreign origin, and, as might therefore naturally be expected, foreigners were connected with the companies. Careful inquiries were made through the police authorities, and otherwise, at the commencement of the War as to the nationality of the boards of directors, staff, and workpeople. This subject has also, I believe, engaged the constant attention of the Board of Trade, who have reduced the enemy alien shareholding to a practically negligible quantity, and that Department is understood to be satisfied that the firms are almost entirely purged of their enemy taint. As regards the question as to whether or not British manufacturers are able to supply the requisite material, I have to say that it has not been possible to obtain from British makers, who have all had opportunity to compete, a composition equivalent in total value to any of the four compositions mentioned, and some of the substitutes that have been used have not given altogether satisfactory results. The whole matter has been constantly before us since the outbreak of war, and so far back as December, 1914, we took steps to experiment with a dockyard-made anti-fouling composition of our own. Unfortunately the ship upon which we used our experimental composition as a test was lost. The tests are being continued on other vessels, but they have not yet proceeded far enough to enable definite conclusions to be arrived at.

As regards Question 7, I may say that the greatest care has been taken to prevent information being conveyed to the enemy as a consequence of the supply to the Royal and private yards of the anti-fouling compositions now in use. The representatives of contractors are excluded from the Royal dockyards during the War unless they have definite appointments with the dockyard officers; and instructions have been issued as considered necessary in respect of visits being paid to His Majesty's ships in private yards. As regards these latter, our contract conditions provide that "No persons other than British subjects shall be employed on the vessel herself, or on her drawings, or shall be employed within His Majesty's dockyards or contractors' shipbuilding premises in the execution of this order or any part thereof.…"

How many firms are employed by the Admiralty besides this German firm?

We invited tenders at large to supply our needs.

Did he select this firm only or are there others as well as this German firm?

We do not select particular firms except on the ground that they supply us best with the essential article we require, and of course for no other reason.

Are any British firms supplying this anti-fouling composition to the Admiralty besides this German firm?

If the hon. Gentleman had listened to what I said he would have heard that it has not been possible to obtain this from British makers, who had and have Bad opportunities to compete. I read those words before.

May I ask whether it is not the fact that it is almost universally considered that Messrs. Sutton, Hartmann, and Company's composition has the best properties and it is usually the most expensive, and whether he can give the House the definite assurance that His Majesty's ships will be coated with that composition which best enables them to fulfil their duties as warships without regard to the character of the person who makes it?

I am sorry I did not make myself clear. I said as regards this firm that they arc; amongst the most efficacious. As regards the last part of the question, we are at work ourselves upon a dockyard-made anti-fouling composition.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a very general opinion that the contracts of this firm are obtained by very different methods than efficacious?

I should like to know about that. Perhaps my hon. Friend will give mo particulars.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can give the number of Irishmen in the Navy on the outbreak of war, and the number of Reservists from Ireland called up after war was declared?

It is estimated that over 8,000 Irishmen were serving in the Fleet on the outbreak of War; 3,098 Naval and Marine Reservists and pensioners from Ireland have been called up for service. These figures are in addition to the estimated figure of 4,500 recruited from Ireland given in my answer to my hon. Friend on the 1st November.

I presume those figures are in addition to the figures given by the Secretary of State for War for the Army?

Certainly.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the speeches delivered by the hon. Member for Mid-Lanark in America during the last few months; can he say whether the hon. Member has paid two visits to that country during the past year; has ho any official information of the object of his visits as set forth on his application for passports; and can he give a definite assurance that the hon. Member is in no way connected with any Department acting under the Foreign Office?

I have no information with regard to the first part of the hon. Member's question beyond what has appeared in the Press. With regard to the second and third parts of the question, no passport has been granted to the hon. Member for Mid-Lanark since March last, and no communication has been received from him. At that date no special inquiries were made as to the purpose of a journey to countries outside Europe, unless there appeared to be any ground to doubt the bona fides of the applicant. Since that time evidence as to the purpose of journeys has been required in all cases, irrespective of destination. With regard to the last part of the question, the hon. Member for Mid-Lanark has no connection with the Foreign Office, direct or indirect.

Can the Noble Lord say who paid this gentleman, and whether the Government have not received urgent representations from our Minister at Washington urging that Members of Parliament should not be sent on a similar mission?

I do not in the least know who paid for the journey. As far as I know, the Government had nothing whatever to do with it.

If a Member of this House makes in a foreign country speeches calculated to interfere with the due prosecution of the War, is there no way in which the Government can propose a Resolution to this House as regards that Member?

That is obviously a very-different question, and one which I think deserves serious consideration. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will allow me to communicate with the Prime Minister on the subject.

Did the hon. Member at any time go to America under the auspices of any Department of the Government?

I do not know what "at any time" means.

During the War?

Not as far as I know. But I should like notice of that.

Is it not the fact that the only official- post which the hon. Member has held is that of Parliamentary Private Secretary to the present Secretary of State for War?

That is a matter which concerns other members of the Government besides myself.

Is it not particularly necessary to repudiate this hon. Member's action, as he was actually Parliamentary Private Secretary to at least one, and probably two, Cabinet Ministers?

I have done my best in the answer I have already given to repudiate the action of the hon. Member. If my repudiation is not clear, I desire to repeat it in the most emphatic way. The hon. Member represents in no sense whatever the British Government or, as far as I know, anybody else.

Is the Noble Lord aware that this particular Member has claimed in the United States that Cabinet Ministers do not correctly voice the views of this nation, and that he, because he is secretary to a handful of Members here, does represent them?

All sorts of things which are not true are said about Cabinet Ministers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the recent fighting in Abyssinia; and whether he can make a statement to the House as to the present position of affairs in that country?

On the 27th October a battle took place near Ankober, about twenty-five miles north-east of Adis Ababa, between the troops of the new Government and an army under the command of Ras Mikhail, father of the deposed Prince Lij Yasu, who had espoused the latter's cause, and was marching on the capital at the head of about 30,000 men of the Wollo tribe. According to the reports that have reached us, this battle resulted in the defeat of Ras Mikhail's forces and the capture of him. No other serious fighting has been reported. With respect to the latter part of the hon. Member's question, His Majesty's Minister at Adis Ababa has reported that the revolution may be regarded as completely successful. The new Government having established their authority. His Majesty's Minister and the representatives of the Allied Powers at Adis Ababa have been authorised to accord recognition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any decision has been arrived at to consider only British tenders for the German properties and businesses in Nigeria which are to be sold?

I think it will be more convenient that I reply to my hon. Friend's question in the Debate this afternoon.

asked whether the counting of the votes taken amongst the Australian soldiers stationed in this country on the question of Conscription in Australia is being carried out by representatives of the Commonwealth Government or by officials of any Department responsible to this House?

The answer which was given to the hon. Member yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State covers this question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will have inquiries made into the circumstances of the death of Private John Theodore Jack son at Clipstone Camp, Notts, and in particular if he will ascertain whether this man had claimed to be a pacifist and conscientious objector; whether he committed suicide within ten days of his going to Clipstone Camp; whether there is reason to believe that his suicide was due to the ill-treatment he had received; and whether there have been any other cases of suicide at this camp?

Private Jackson did not claim to be a pacifist or a conscientious objector. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the third in the negative. The reply to the last part of the question is that there was a case of suicide by drowning at Clip-stone Camp in September last, and that no other has occurred until the present case.

What does the hon. Member mean by saying that Private Jackson did not claim to be a conscientious objector? Is it not the case that he claimed before the local tribunal and that his claim was disallowed?

I was not aware of that.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make inquiries into the conditions now prevailing at Grove Park Camp, the depot of the motor transport, and in particular if be will say whether the number of men stationed at this camp is greatly in excess of the accommodation; whether the men have been sleeping in wet tents, and in some cases without tent-boards; whether many of these men have been obliged to wait for six or seven days before a proper kit is served out to them, and during this time have not had sufficiently strong boots or clothing to stand the rough weather; whether he is aware that these men are for the most part recruits unused to camp life; and whether several deaths have recently occurred at this camp?

asked whether new arrivals in any of the Army Service Corps camps near London are still being placed in tents; and whether there is any higher rate of sickness among the men so housed?

I am informed that the number of men at this depot is not in excess of the accommodation provided. During October a certain number of men were under canvas, but no one is under canvas now. All tents were provided with tent boards. Men are clothed on arrival, though at one time men destined for Osterly Park were not clothed until they arrived there. Generally speaking, camp life is more conducive to health than huts. During October there were four deaths amongst 18,000 men. Of the four men who died three were in billets and the fourth, who was in camp, died of heart disease.

asked the Secretary for War whether his attention has recently been called to the frequent infliction upon soldiers upon active service of the punishment known as crucifixion, officially called field punishment No. 1; whether cases have been brought to his notice in which this punishment has been awarded for comparatively trivial offences; whether it often leads to permanent injury and sometimes to death; and whether he will authorise an investigation into this matter, with a view to modifying the regulations prescribing this form of punishment?

Cases have not been brought to my notice in which this punishment has been awarded for comparatively trivial offences unless, of course, the hon. Member is referring to a newspaper report which has not been substantiated and upon which I am still awaiting sufficient information as to the man's regimental number and regiment to make inquiry. As has been previously stated in this House, the offence for which field punishment may be awarded will be found by reference to Section 44 (5) of the Army Act. No authenticated reports have reached me that field punishment No. I has led to permanent injury or that it has resulted in the death of the soldier concerned, and hon. Members who make these statements must produce evidence in support of them. If the hon. Member will again refer to Section 44 (5) of the Army Act he will find that field punishment "shall not be of a nature to cause injury to life or limb." If the punishment has been carried out under conditions which have produced either of these two effects I can only say that this is illegal and would receive immediate attention. I therefore invite the hon. Member at once to place all the information which is in his possession in this respect in my hands.

Is not my hon. Friend aware that I have already placed before the War Office cases in which injury has occurred through punishment of this kind, and in which punishment was inflicted for comparatively trivial offences; is he not also aware that the punishment in one case was inflicted for exceeding the speed limit; will he further undertake, if I give him some more cases of this kind, to cause investigation to be held?

Yes, Sir; I think my hon. Friend knows perfectly well that so far as we are concerned if he will give us some authenticated information we will pursue it.

Did the hon. Gentleman see that article written by Mr. Robert Blatchford in a Sunday paper the other week; did he allow publication of the article to take place; as it did appear will he make inquiries and not leave it to-the good will of a Member of this House to himself inquire into it; does it not concern the honour of the Army, and is it not the duty of the War Office—

I think the hon. and gallant Gentleman should put that question on the Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether formations-with the British Armies in France are prohibited from purchasing articles for sale in their canteens from sources other than the Expeditionary Force canteens; and if so from what date this prohibition has been operative; by what Government Department the Expeditionary Force canteens in France are administered; what profits, if any, were made by these canteens for the last period as to which accounts have been presented; and to what purpose such profits have been or will be devoted?

Yes, Sir; the Order in question was made by desire of the General Officer Commanding - in - Chief British Armies in France, and has been in force since 7th August last. The Expeditionary Force canteens are controlled by a Committee acting with the authority and under the supervision of the Army Council. The whole of the profits will be devoted to the benefit of the soldier.

As a possible £800,000 will be drawn from the pocket of the private soldier this year, will the hon. Gentleman see that the private soldier, by some means, is consulted as to the disposal of this money?

I have just said that the profits will be devoted for the benefit of the soldier.

May I ask whether the Y.M.C.A. canteens and the V.A.D. canteens are accounted as belonging to the Expeditionary Force?

No.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in France, amongst, at any rate, some divisions, there is dissatisfaction at the fact of the very large profits made by the Expeditionary Force canteens, profits which, under the former regulations, when divisions ran their own canteens, would have promptly gone for the benefit of those divisions?

Yes, I know of the feeling in France. There are special reasons which prompted the Commander-in-Chief to give this order. I shall be very happy to explain to the hon. and gallant Gentleman if he cares to hear them.

asked the Secretary of State for War with regard to 9 Gen. No. 4,650 T. F. 3, system of promotion that will be adopted in future in order to safeguard the relative precedence of officers generally, whether it is laid down that when an officer is posted or attached from one unit to another he will take his proper precedence in the unit, which he joins according to his position on the list of officers on the regular battalion, etc., an officer holding a permanent position taking precedence by the date of his permanent rank and an officer holding a temporary commission by the date of his present appointment to the Territorial Force, so that an officer posted to another unit will have to be granted higher temporary rank if it is necessary to place him in his proper relative position; and whether this rule is intended to be of general application or is only to be applied on the recommendation of the commanding officer?

The existing system, which is of general application, is substantially as described in the question, but the whole question is under consideration, and, as I stated on 31st October in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Leo-minster, it is hoped that new regulations will shortly come into operation.

Is an officer who is sent home and attached to another unit entitled to his proper precedence of rank?

Perhaps my hon. Friend would await the appearance of the new Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Private John Bohringer, No. 9593, Army Service Corps, 20th Labour Company, British Expeditionary Force, France, who is a married man of forty-six years of age, with seven children, and who has had no leave for thirteen months; whether Private Bohringer has been told that he will have no leave unless he consents to be inoculated; and, if so, whether he will bring to the notice of the commanding officer of Private Bohringer's regiment the statement of the late Secretary for War and other officials of the War Office to the effect that no pressure is to be brought to bear on conscientious objectors to vaccination and inoculation?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 19th October to the hon. Member for South West Ham.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a number of men ranking as sappers in the Royal Engineers are employed at Mount Pleasant on Post Office work; whether he is aware that, when a purely trade union meeting, having no political or military importance, was arranged by the Postal and Telegraph Clerks' Association at the Holborn Hall, Major Wheeler, the officer commanding, issued a statement that the Holborn Hall was out of bounds on the night in question, and that any man attending would be liable to military arrest; and if he can state the ground on which such action was taken?

I have not full information on this matter, but I understand that a meeting was held for the express purpose of commenting on the status of noncommissioned officers and men of the Royal Engineers in the Postal Service. Further inquiry is being made

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the hardship being borne by soldiers' dependants owing to the increase in the cost of foodstuffs since their dependants' allowances were fixed, and if he will consider the desirability of increasing their allowances or granting a bonus to all soldiers' dependants drawing separation allowances?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave last Thursday to the hon. Member for the Bridgeton Division of Glasgow.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the separation allowance in London is 3s. 6d. in excess of that paid in Dublin, and that the allowance is not sufficient to meet the increase of food and light in Dublin?

I think the hon. Member will see that is quite covered by the answer I have given.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it was stated, on behalf of the Cabinet, that they were going to consider the increase of separation allowance, and can he say whether they are doing anything now?

There is a reference to that in the answer I have given.

Well, are they doing anything now?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that soldiers in this country when in hospital have so much of their pay deducted; that with the amount of their allotment they are actually going deeper into debt every day; and whether he will take steps to remedy this grievance?

If the hon. Member is under the impression that a deduction from pay is general in such cases, he has been misinformed. Deduction is made only when men are in hospital under circumstances which in the discretion of the commanding officer are held to justify the deduction.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the 7d. which is deducted from the pay and the 6d. they have to pay for separation allowance means that the man is getting further and further into debt?

I have explained to my hon. Friend before that it is within the discretion of the commanding officer to make some stoppage at a figure less than the 7d. to which my hon. Friend refers.

Is it competent for the Secretary of State for War to make it impossible for a soldier who happens to be sick and sent to hospital to leave without being in debt?

I think these deductions are only made in cases where a man has to go into hospital through his own fault.

Is it not the case that if a soldier is wanted abroad, and temporarily reports himself at his depot, and subsequently goes into hospital he suffers this deduction?

It is not so.

There are many cases in which it has been done.

If my hon. Friend will let me have them, I will have the matter looked into

asked whether the Treasury have approved any scheme for increasing the separation allowance of the dependants of soldiers who joined as apprentices?

The Treasury are in communication with the Statutory Committee on this subject.

Is it not a fact that the Statutory Committee are awaiting the decision of the Treasury?

I can quite believe it.

asked whether Sir Ernest Cassel accompanied the members of the Commission which was sent out to America in September, 1915, to negotiate a loan; and, if so, whether he travelled in the same steamer with the knowledge and sanction of His Majesty's Government?

Sir Ernest Cassel crossed to New York in the same ship as the members of the Commission. I knew of his journey to America. The sanction of His Majesty's Government was not required, but I fully approved of his going.

asked why various drafts from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles, amounting altogether to 200 men, have been sent to the Ulster Division in France, in view of the fact that this battalion was recruited mainly in Dublin, and does not normally send reserves to the Ulster Division at all; on whose directions this was done; and whether it is proposed to continue this policy?

It is the constant desire of those responsible to draft men to their own regiment as far as possible, but the exigencies of the Service do not always permit of its being done.

Will the hon. Gentleman not give a more definite answer than that?

I am afraid I can give nothing more definite than that.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will cause an inquiry to be made respecting the alleged inadequacy of the hospital accommodation at Knowsley Park, Prescot, owing to the overcrowding of the hats, shortage of doctors, and insufficiency of food?

I am not aware of the alleged inadequacy of tae hospital accommodation, but inquiries are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the resolution of the Welsh Agricultural Council protesting against the Government restricting the price to be paid for wool even by manufacturers, whilst allowing the manufacturers to fix unhindered the price of the manufactured article to the purchaser; and whether he proposes to take any steps to see that the manufacturer shall not benefit at the expense of the farmer?

Manufacturers in Wales who buy wool are agents of the Department for this purpose and therefore buy at the fixed prices, but before being allowed to use such wool for their own purposes they are required to pay to the Department the difference between the fixed price and the full market price. The full benefit from the fixed price paid to the farmer is, therefore, secured for the public, and no special advantage is obtained by the manufacturer.

Are we to understand that the difference is received by the Government and not paid over to the farmer?

Yes, Sir; that is so.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the withdrawal on the 1st November of the licences issued to manufacturers to purchase wool locally, as set forth in the Circular Letter of the War Office of the 27th October, is causing loss and inconvenience to manufacturers; and whether ho will consider the desirability of renewing such licences?

Licences for manufacturers in Wales to buy direct from farmers were withdrawn owing to the delays which were occurring in taking up the wool. Special permits will now be granted to manufacturers to continue purchasing direct on condition that the wool is purchased and paid for before a fixed date.

asked when it is proposed to discontinue the practice of treating uncertifiable soldiers in annexes of asylums and under asylum management?

Experience shows that the present system works well, and no alteration is proposed.