HC Deb 23 January 1913 vol 47 cc635-7W
Lord CHARLES BERESFORD

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many battleships Great Britain had in full commission on the 1st April, 1905, giving their names and the stations to which they were allocated; how many battleships Germany had in full commission on the 1st April, 1905, giving their names and the stations to which they were allocated; how many battleships Great Britain will have in full commission on the 1st April, 1913, giving their names and the stations to which, under present arrangements, they will be allocated; and how many battleships Germany will have in full commission on the 1st April, 1913, giving their names and the stations to which they will be allocated?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The information asked for is as follows:—

British battleships in commission with full crews.
1st April, 1905 (32).
Home waters.
"Exmouth" "Swiftsure"
"Albemarle" "Triumph"
"Montagu" "Cæsar"
"Duncan" "Hannibal"
"Cornwallis" "Revenge"
"Russell" "Royal Sovereign"
Atlantic (Gibraltar).
"King Edward VII." '"Mars"
"Victorious" "Prince George"
"Majestic" "Illustrious"
"Magnificent"
Total in Home waters 19

Abroad.
Mediterranean.
"Bulwark" "London"
"Venerable" "Irresistible"
"Implacable" "Prince of Wales"
"Formidable" "Queen"
China.
"Glory" "Ocean"
"Albion" "Centurion."
"Vengeance"
Total abroad, 13.

Note.—"Barfleur" was also temporarily in commission with full crew on trooping service.

April, 1913. (29) First Fleet.
"Neptune" (flag).
1st Squadron.
"Collingwood" "Temeraire"
"St. Vincent" "Bellerophon"
"Vanguard" "Colossus"
"Superb"
2nd Squadron.
"King George V." "Orion"
"Conqueror" "Lord Nelson"
"Thunderer" "Hercules
"Monarch" "Agamemnon"
3rd Squadron.
"King Edward VII" "Hindustan"
"Africa" "Dominion"
"Britannia" "Zealandia"
"Hibernia" "Commonwealth"
4th Squadron.
"Dreadnought" "Duncan"
"Albemarle" "Russell"
"Cornwallis"

Besides this there are seven battle cruisers, of which six are in Home waters and one in the Mediterranean.

Germany.
1st April, 1905.—Sixteen battleships in full commission, all in Home waters.
High Sea Fleet.
"Elsass." "Kaiser Wilhelm der
"Braunschweig." Grosse."
"Mecklenburg." "Kaiser Wilhelm
"Wettin." II."
" Zähringen." "Kaiser Friedrich
"Wittelsbach." III."
"Kaiser Karl der "Weissenburg."
Grosse." "Wörth."
'"Brandenburg."
"Schwaben" . Gunnery school ship.
Parent ships of Reserve groups.
"Frithjof." "Aegir."

1st April, 1913.—Twenty-two battleships in full commission, all in Home waters.

High Sea Fleet.
"Friedrich der "Schleswig-Hol-
Grosse." stein."
"Kaiser." "Schlesien."
"Oldenburg." "Pommern."
"Thüringen." "Hannover."
"Ostfriesland." "Deutschland."
"Helgoland." "Lothringen."
"Posen." "Preussen."
"Eheinland." "Hessen."
"Westfalen." "Elsass."
"Nassau." "Braunschweig."
"Wettin" Gunnery school ship.
"Wittelsbach Parent ship of Reserve group.