Scarcity of Engineers for the Navy.

In its present condition the navy is very short of engineers. In 1882 the indicated horse power of the navy was about 500,000, and there were 700 engineer officers. It is now 1,500,000 and there are 750 officers, so that in 1882 there was one engineer officer for about 700 horse power, while then there is now one engineer officer for 2000 horse power. This is without considering the enormously increased amount of machinery other than propelling machinery, with the maintenance of which the engineers are charged.—Mr John Venn, M.P., of the engineering firm of John Penn and Sons, Greenwich.