§ Earl WINTERTONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state what were the reasons for the delay of six years between the decision arrived at to construct a dry dock on the East Coast suitable for ships of the "Dreadnought" class and the actual commencement of the work?
§ Mr. McKENNAInvestigations at foreign dockyards and establishments, change of Government, trial borings, and 1207 settlement of designs all contributed, with a variety of other circumstances, to postpone the actual placing of a contract after the decision referred to was arrived at.
§ Earl WINTERTONMay I ask whether there has been any alteration in either the international or naval position, which makes the necessity of such a dock greater to-day than it was a year or 18 months ago?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe circumstances which directed the policy as to the building of the proposed dockyard were indicated as being in existence 18 months ago.