§ MR. PEARCEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he will grant a Return showing the first cost of the armoured, unarmoured, protected, and partially protected ships of the Navy, the amount spent on repairs, alterations, and maintenance, and the estimated present value?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. HIBBERT)I regret that I am unable to grant the Return asked for by the hon. Member for Govan. Such a Return would not only be a very difficult and a very voluminous one to prepare; but, when complete, it would be liable to mislead, owing to the various conditions under which, from time to time, the repairs of Her Majesty's ships have been carried out, and the expense recorded at the Admiralty. It would also be impossible to give any reliable information as to the "estimated present value" of the ships referred to in the hon. Member's Question.
§ MR. PEARCEIn consequence of the answer of the hon. Gentleman, I beg to give Notice that I will call attention to the want of this information on going into Committee of Supply on the Naval Estimates, and move a Resolution.