SIR EDWARD EEED (Cardiff)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, before the present Session closes, he will inform the House, by means of a printed Return, or otherwise, what progress has been made with the work authorized by the Naval Defence Act, and, more particularly, to what extent orders for new ships and machinery have been given; where they have been placed; and what have been the financial liabilities incurred?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingUnder a clause in the Naval Defence Act a Return has to be given within a fixed period of the completion of each contract made under the Act for hulls or machinery or guns. It is, however, not advisable to publish any such Return until all the vessels of a particular type for which tenders have been invited have been allocated to the different parties tendering. It may, however, interest the House to know what progress has already been made in the contemplated programme for the year 1889–90 under the Naval Defence Act. Fifty-two ships bad to be commenced—20 in the dockyards, 32 in private yards. Arrangements for the 20 in the dockyards have been so far advanced that 18 have already been commenced. Of the 32 for private yards 16 second-class cruisers out of 17 have been actually placed, and the tenders for five first-class cruisers have been invited. We hope by the month of September to have placed the whole of the remainder.