§ MR. W. H. SMITH (Strand, Westminster)asked the Secretary of State for War, If he will state the amounts which have been expended out of the Votes for the current year, and out of the Vote of Credit, for the defences of the coaling stations, of the commercial ports, and of the military ports respectively?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN) (, &c.) StirlingIt is calculated that we have expended during the present financial year £46,458 on the fortification of coaling stations, besides £109,000, which, it is believed, has been paid in regard to the same stations by the Government of India and by the Colonial Governments at Singapore and Hong Kong—in all, £155,458. Beyond this amount, we have expended for coaling stations the following sums—namely, £13,000 for submarine mining buildings, £189,000 for armaments, and £60,000 for torpedo stores and boats—making a total for coaling stations of £417,458. As regards military ports, 1180 the expenditure has been limited to £28,000 for mining buildings; but on commercial ports there has been spent £26,000 for submarine mining buildings and £93,000 for torpedo stores and boats, together £119,000. The total expenditure on these defences has, therefore, amounted to £564,458. I wish to take this opportunity of explaining that when, on Monday, I informed the hon. Member for the Kirkdale Division of Liverpool (Mr. Baden-Powell) that £50,000 was provided in the Estimates for the fortification works at coaling stations in the coming year, I confined myself to the terms of his Question, which regarded our Estimates only. But it is expected that a further amount of £120,000 will be spent during the year from India and Colonial funds.