§ SIR RICHARD TEMPLE (Worcester, Evesham)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he has noticed certain statements publicly made regarding his Estimate of 480,000 tons of shipping for the conveyance of 100,000 men from France to England; whether he adheres to that Estimate; whether he can give the average of tonnage per man and horse from Bombay for the Expeditions to Abyssinia and Cyprus; and, whether the average for a man is less on a short voyage, as compared with a long one, while the average per horse remains without material difference?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)Perhaps, considering the importance of the Question and the interest which is taken in the subject, the House will allow me to extend my answer beyond the usual limits of an answer to a Question. The figures which I gave the other day as to the transport necessary to enable 100,000 men to land and seize London by surprise, took into consideration the 1701 only conditions under which such a feat comes within the range of possibility—first, that the disembarkation of the Army from the ships conveying them was simultaneous; second, that the Army so disembarked was capable of rapid movement. The Estimate of 480,000 gross tons required for the invading force was on the assumption that the force would be equivalent to three Army Corps constituted, as regards Cavalry and Artillery, &c., as laid down at page 198 of The Soldier's Pocket Book; and the 480,000 gross tons estimated to be required is equivalent to 312,000 tons net, which is at the rate of 1½ ton per man, and 4 tons per horse. In The Soldier's Pocket Book, at pages 197 to 202, minute calculations are made of the tonnage necessary to convey troops—(1.) on short voyages, such as crossing the Irish and English Channels; (2.) for voyages not exceeding a week; and (3.) for long voyages. According to these tables, the estimate per man and horse, on the first supposition, is 1½ and 2½ tons respectively; and on these data the transport of three Army Corps would take, in gross tonnage, 399,330 tons, as against my Estimate of 480,000. But the details contained in The Soldier's Pocket Book, as regards the requirements for sea transport, were furnished by the Transport Department 13 years ago. Since that time the Department has had greatly extended experience of the capacity of steamers, especially of the modern type; and although the estimate then made holds good for long and medium voyages, it has been found that modern steamships do not afford deck space, free from deck-houses, steam-winches, and hatchways, sufficient to allow of standing horses, with only room enough for them to be fed and watered, on an average net tonnage of 2½ tons per horse; and, therefore, the more accurate estimate of 4 tons per horse was substituted for that of 2½ tons. I further find that the problem represented by Supposition No. 1 in the The Soldier's Pocket Book was not for moving a force to a hostile country, but from an English port to one friendly port across the Channel, in which case it would be insured that the troops and horses could be disembarked at once. Moreover, it assumes that no opposition from a hostile fleet need be taken into 1702 consideration. In the case now under consideration the embarkations would have to be distributed amongst ports hundreds of miles apart—it could not be effected in less than six hours; and, judging from the experience of Eupatoria—where, notwithstanding the aid of 350 boats from the men-of-war, it took 11 hours to land 30,000 men and 24 guns—it is not likely that the disembarkation of 100,000 men could be effected in a day. The problem, therefore, much more closely assimilates to Supposition No. 2—namely, a voyage of under a week, than Supposition No. 1—namely, a voyage of a few hours; and the Transport Department is satisfied that the tonnage has not been overestimated, if the force referred to be three complete Army Corps capable of rapid movement. Assuming, however, that instead of three Army Corps we have to consider the force which Napoleon contemplated despatching in 1805—namely, 155,000 men, 14,600 horses, with 432 guns—the tonnage required, according to The Soldier's Pocket Book, would be under Supposition 1,926,000 tons net, 411,570 tons gross; under Supposition 2,397,600 tons net, 608,328 tons gross; or, according to the expectation of the Transport Department, 290,900 tons net, equal to 445,077 tons gross. My figures are based on the practical data of daily experience and ascertained facts, and upon the knowledge that difference between gross and net tonnage is yearly increasing, owing to the greater space and power of the engines and boilers and coal bunkerage of modern passenger ships; and I adhere to them as correct. The information respecting the Expeditions from India to Abyssinia and Malta (for Cyprus) cannot be furnished at once in a form available for comparison. A greater proportionate reduction on short voyages can be made for men than can be for horses—which occupy the same standing room in all cases—while men require to lie down to sleep on long voyages.
§ MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)Considering the great interest of the statement which the noble Lord has made, will he have any objection to lay some Papers on the Table, so that the public may have the facts placed before us given to them in some more authoritative way than in a newspaper report?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONI quite accept the correctness of the data given in The Soldier's Pocket Book.
§ MR. CHILDERSThe figures given by the noble Lord are of great interest, and deserve careful criticism and confirmation or refutation. I therefore desire to ask him whether there is any objection, in the interests of the House and the public, to having his statement presented in a more authoritative form than a mere report in the newspapers?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONI will consider the point and see what can be done.
HANBURY (Preston)May I ask whether beyond The Soldier's Pocket Book there has been any joint or formal consultation between the Admiralty and the War Office on this most important question?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONYes; 13 years ago certain data were drawn up, and these are the data contained in The Soldier's Pocket Book; but the data I have just given to the House are based on the result of more modern experience.
§ MR. HANBURYBut has there been any consultation between the two Departments?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThe Memoranda on which the data in The Soldier's Pocket Book are based were the result of a joint conference.
§ SIR HENRY HAVELOCK-ALLAN (Durham, S.E.)Will the noble Lord add a statement showing how the conditions would be affected by the fact of an army being conveyed in two, three, or four successive stages, the ordinary voyage not occupying more than two or three hours?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThat entirely destroys the theory of a sudden surprise.
§ SIR JOHN COLOMB (, &c.) Tower Hamlets, BowWill the noble Lord also consider whether he could not add to the statement particulars as to the water area of ports between Dunkirk and Brest, and the wharfage accommodation actually existing at those ports?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThat is not a question that comes officially within my province; but, if it is the wish of the House, I will try to draw up further information, and lay it before the House in a more authoritative way 1704 than an answer reported in the newspapers.