A.—4

44

To cadets and apprentices—Practical gunnery course to enable them to form part of the guns' crews of D.A.M.S. To gunlayers and second hands for 4 in. to 6 in. guns (selected from gunlayers, 3-15 pr.) — Sixteen days' course in the Gunnery Schools.* To gunlayers and second hands for 3-15 pr. guns—Thirty-five days' course in the Gunnery Schools.* To gunlayers, 4 in. to 6 in. and 3-15 pr., requalifying—Eight days' course in the Gunnery Schools.* To Instructors for D.A.M.S. ratings—Nineteen days' course in the Gunnery Schools.* For men of the Mercantile Marine.—A gunnery course of gun drill, ammunition, and sightsetting, lasting nine days, at a gunnery establishment instituted at the Crystal Palace, London. The Officer Instructors stationed at various important ports of the United Kingdom and abroad visited merchant vessels in their district and gave advice and information to masters, officers, and ratings. They also gave lectures on the submarine menace and gunnery. Signal instruction for masters, officers, and ratings was also given at a number of important ports in the United Kingdom and abroad. Some idea of the numbers instructed is given in the enclosure to this section, which covers a period of sixteen months, and is dated 24th June, 1918. Enclosure to Chapter IV, Section J, War Training of the Merchant Service. Table A. Report dated 24th June, 1918, of the number of masters, officers, and men of the Mercantile Marine who had received instruction since 27th February, 1917 : — Masters : Total number who have been through the course on the submarine menace at Chatham, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Greenock, and Devonport .. .. 3,038 Officers : Total number who have been through a similar course at Chatham, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Greenock, and Devonport .. .. .. .. 3.469 Apprentices : Total number who have been through a gunnery course at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport .. .. .. .. . . .. 998 Merchant ratings : Total number who have been through a gunnery course at the CrystalPalace .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,236 Ships visited by Officer Instructors .. .. .. .. .. .. 13,993 Officers interviewed by Officer Instructors .. .. .. .. .. 11,697 Masters interviewed by Officer Instructors .. .. .. .. .. 2,891 Officers and men who have attended instruction in signals .. .. .. 28,013 (K) Training of the Auxiliary Patrol Service in War. Preliminary Remarks. The Auxiliary Patrol Service in Great Britain during the late war consisted of steam-yachts, trawlers, drifters, and motor-boats manned by officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the various patrol bases being in charge of officers of the Royal Navy on the Active or Retired Lists. At the Admiralty the Auxiliary Patrol came under the control of the Fourth Sea Lord, a Captain being appointed, as his assistant, to administer the service. 'Training. 2. Prom time to time, as experience was gained, publications were issued bearing on the subject of the training and employment of Auxiliary Patrol vessels, the most important being— C.B. 482. —Instructions for Auxiliary Patrol, 1917. C.B. 356.—W/T Instructions for Auxiliary Patrol Vessels. C.B. 707. —Auxiliary Vessels Signal-book. Naval Staff (G. & T. Div.). — Instructions for Gunnery Training in the Auxiliary Patrol, 1918. Also various publications coming under the heading of anti-submarine training.

* Including firing in the Gunnery School tenders,