London, Mar. 16.
Malta, Mar. 16.
Much interest was excited at the conclusion of the debate on the Navy, Estimates, last night, in the House of Commons, when Mr, Canyon Bel-airs (Conservative, Maidstone) invited an official statement regarding 0 telegram which he said he Believed would be published in today's newspapers, to the effect that the captain and some of the officers of the battleship Royal Onk had refused to sail under the Admiral and had been court-martialled and cartied ax passengers to Gibraltar.
'Mr, Bellairs requested the Government' to state the actual facts at the earliest opportunity.
Licut.-Col. Headlam, Parliament ary Secretary to the Admiralty, re-phod that he did not have sufficient information on the matter to an-wer or make a statement at present.
The morning papers print an une official telegram from Malta stating that the First Battle Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet, which was duc to sail for Gibraltar on March 11, was delayed until March 12, when the Royal Oak's flag was seen to be hauled down, which ceremony is performed when x Captain -relinquished command, The Battle Squadron duly sailed with Captain Osborne, 0.5.0, of the depot-ship Egmont, commanding, the Royal Oak.
Note:—The Royal Oak is the flag ship of the First Battle Squadron, 'Mediterranean Fleet, which is under the command of" Rear-Admiral Collard, on. v8.0, According to the February Navy' List, the Royal Oak was command. ed by Flag-Captain and Chief of Sta KGB, Dewar, cat. who was Deputy Director of the Naval] Intelligence Division of the Admiral ty from 1925 to 1927.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.