§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)asked the Secretary of State for War, What was the original cost of the material of the Suakin-Berber Railway; for what purpose was it subsequently employed, and where; and, where is it at the present moment?
§ THE SURVEYOR GENERAL OF THE ORDNANCE (Mr. NORTHCOTE) (Exeter)(who replied) said: The original cost of the materials for the Suakin Railway was £315,000. Of the materials returned from Suakin, or not sent out, of which the aggregate cost was about £320,000, stores to the value of £30,000 had been issued for the use of various departments. The remaining plant had been stored at Woolwich, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, Lydd, and Strensall, with a view to its being employed at those stations in the construction of military railways as funds became available. One of those railways was under construction at Plymouth, and one at Chatham would be commenced this year. Steps were being taken to dispose of all surplus materials, and some part of them had been already sold.