471

A.—s

Lord TWEEDMOUTH : I think I ought to say with regard to this question of manning that the number of men necessary for the British Navy must necessarily be limited. We cannot take in an unlimited number. At this moment I should think we have at least six times as many applications from men to enter the Navy as we can take in. Therefore, whatever, arrangement may be come to with regard to manning throughout the Empire, it would have to be understood that it must be limited, because beyond a certain limit we should not have any use for the men. Dr. JAMESON : The rank and file—able-bodied seamen —six times as many as you want ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : I think I am putting it under the mark rather than over it in saying that. Then I ought to say a word about the question of cadets. I think that in the Agreement of 1902 an arrangement was made by which there should be a certain number of cadets from each Colony. There were, I think, eight from Australia. Mr. DEAKIN : You mean cadets coming into the Royal Navy to become officers. Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Yes. There were eight for Australia; two for New Zealand, two for the Cape; one for Natal; and two for other Colonies; a total of 15. I think the arrangement with regard to that has not been altogether understood. It has been imagined that the cadets were to be taken in anyhow. Really it only comes to this, that there are nominations given to that number of cadets, and then some of them are examined in Australia. Some come to schools in England and are examined here. So far as the Colonial cadets are concerned, I think it is only right for me to say that those who have been examined out in Australia are found not to be up to the standard of education which is prevalent amongst the same boys in England, and a good many have been rejected. I think the idea is that this number is given without consideration of the qualities of the boys, whereas in fact a good many boys have been rejected on examination. Mr. DEAKIN : All this is news to me. Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Take 1903, for instance. In that year there were six Australian nominations —three passed and went in. In 1904 there were again six boys examined, and three passed into Osborne. In 1905 Australia sent eight, of whom two passed in. In 1906 five Australian cadets came up, of whom four passed in, and in this year I think four have come up, and one has passed in and one has not yet been examined. I do not think the system has been thoroughly understood. I think the idea has been that the nominations given were supposed to be absolute cadetships; whereas, they were only nominations to candidates in order to go through the examinations, and so enter in the same way as the cadets who enter here. Mr. DEAKIN : No complaints have reached me. Sir JOSEPH WARD : You have had nominations from New Zealand also. Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Yes, from New Zealand in 1903; one entered and one passed; in 1904 two entered, of whom none passed; in 1905 two

Thirteenth Day 8 May 1!K)7.

Naval Difxnox.