§ LORD CHARLES BERESFORD (Marylebone, E.)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, To give the names of the ships whose tonnage make up the 70,000 tons mentioned in his Memorandum on the Navy Estimates as having been passed into the Reserve last year?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)At page 12 of my Memorandum on the Navy Estimates I stated that it was estimated that 75,000 tons—not 70,000 tons—would be completed ready for commission in 1887–8. The names of the vessels themselves and their tonnage are given at page 188 of the Navy Estimates. My Memorandum was written a month before the close of the financial year. The actual tonnage passed into the First Reserve for 1887–8 was 64,500; the difference between that figure and my estimate being mainly caused by the unexpected delay in the delivery of guns. The estimate of the amount of tonnage to be passed this year—namely, 1888–9—into the Reserve will be raised by that difference; and should, therefore, come to 88,000 tons, in place of the 77,000 tons of my estimate.
§ LORD CHARLES BERESFORDHas every one of the ships got all her guns on board?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONYes, of course. My noble and gallant Friend is aware that no ship is passed into the 317 First Reserve unless she is complete, and can be made ready for commission within 48 hours.