Those, who read of the Board of Admiralty's reversal of the findings fof the courts-martial in connection With the recent collision of H.MSs. Renown and Hood with feelings of some anxiety, will appreciate the statement made by the First Lord in the House of Commons on Thursday.
The sault of.the Board's findings appear to be that, despite the two Acquittals, a certain degree of blame was attributable to each of the three Officers charged. The Admiralty has dissented from acquittals in the cases, fof the captains of H.M.S. Conqueror In 1862 and H.M.S. Howe in 1893 and fon both occasions the proceeding was defended by the existing governments and approved by the House of Com~ mons." Lord Palmerston and Mr. Asquith respectively defended with great strength the right and duty of the Admiralty to pronounce their opinion in any matter touching the safety of His Majesty's ships, quite apart from the findings of the courts martial. The point is an me teresting one, for while it does not appear that the Admiralty can punish officers acquitted of the charges laid against them, by the imposition of some immediate penalty, it does seem that it can place on record the fact of its belief in some degree of the acquitted man's culpability, and bbe guided thereby in the matter of future action with regard to him. It apparent that any dissatisfaction which the Board of Admiralty might feel with the conduct of an officer cannot be over-ridden by the verdict of a court-martial no matter how carefully the judgment might be arrived at, for, if it were, the Board might be obliged to Ignore facts, not always provable in evidence, which might reflect upon the officer's ability and fitness to undertake certain tasks, speaks well for the average court martial that the Board has sot been called upon many times: to take the faction Hf has done in this instance, and at the same time It serves to emphasize the recognition which the Admiralty has of its duties to the country with regard to the proper maintenance of the navy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.