§ MR. HANBURYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty at what dates the Howe, Camperdown, Anson, Undaunted, Australia, Immortalité, Narcissus, and Galatea, which would have been completed by 1st December, 1888, if their guns had been delivered (Parliamentary Paper, 20th December, 1888) were or could have been ready for their guns; when the guns in each case had been originally promised which are "now promised" for May and June of this whether the guns quoted in the Return as "now promised" for delivery to the Anson, Undaunted, and Immortalité in February, 1889, were so delivered; what other vessels are being delayed in completion by the non-delivery of their guns, or are ready and waiting for them; and whether the Admiralty has yet received from the War Office a clear statement of (1) how the money voted (say) during the last six years for naval ordnance has been expended; and (2) what supply of naval ordnance the War Office has in hand?
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe four ships referred to in the first part of the Question are now ready for their guns. These are to be delivered on board by April 30 for the Victoria, the end of May for the Camperdown, by the end of June for the Sans Pareil and Howe. The Trafalgar will be ready for her guns by June next, which are to be delivered by the end of August. It is intended to re-arm the Thunderer this year and the Rupert next year; it is anticipated that the guns will be delivered by the time the ships are ready for them. With reference to the guns for the belted cruisers, those for the Undaunted and Immortalité are expected at the end of this month, those for the Australia at the end of May, and for the Narcissus at the end of June. Those for the Galatea and Aurora are expected in November, but there are at Chatham 9.2-inch guns of an earlier pattern which would be available in an emergency. The Medea and Medusa are now ready for their guns, which it is expected will be delivered by April 1 and May 15 respectively. It is anticipated that the guns for the Magicienne and Melpomene will be delivered by the time that the ships are ready for 1122 them. The Admiralty have not received from the War Office a complete statement of money spent for naval service, as the War Office state that it is impossible to furnish such a statement, no separate accounts having been kept of expenditure on naval ordnance stores as distinguished from those for land service. Separate store ledgers were, however, opened by the War Office, 1887–88, for naval ordnance, and a statement was last year furnished to the Admiralty by the War Office, showing the stock of naval ordnance stores, on April 1, 1888, made up partly of stores which the War Office transferred from the general existing stock to the naval service, and partly of stores which were expressly made or purchased for the Navy during the year 1887–8, when the separate accounts for the Navy were first started. The details of the division of the general existing stock between sea and land service as made by the War Office is now the subject of inquiry and consideration between the two Departments.