§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, in view of the official announcement that H.M.S. "Triumph" will be a period of seven weeks absent from the Channel Fleet, whether he will state why this ship has not been replaced in accordance with the Board's Memorandum of 23rd October, 1906, to the effect that any vessel in the Channel, Atlantic, and Mediterranean Fleets requiring an extensive refit will be replaced temporarily by a ship of the Home Fleet.
§ MR. LAMBERTAs stated by my right hon. friend the Secretary to the Admiralty last Thursday, the "Triumph" is undergoing her usual annual refit, and this does not come under the category of extensive refits contemplated in the Admiralty Memorandum referred to.
§ MR. BELLAIRSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Channel Fleet used to consist of seventeen battleships, and that when the number was reduced to fourteen it was provided in the Memorandum that any vessel away for refit should be substituted by another one? Is not that to be done when a ship is away six or seven weeks?
§ MR. LAMBERTThe Admiralty Memorandum is very clear. It provides that when a ship has to undergo an extensive refit another shall be substituted. In this case the "Triumph" was only undergoing her usual annual refit.
§ VISCOUNT TURNOUR (Sussex, Horsham)Is not a seven weeks refit an extensive refit?
§ [No Answer was returned.]