§ SIR J. COLOMBI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether Sydney is the recognised headquarters-and base of the British Fleet maintained in the South Pacific for the protection of the maritime interests and sea commerce of the Empire; whether the contemplated surrender of the Admiralty establishment at Circular Quay, Sydney, to the Colonial Government (as referred to in the statement explanatory of the Navy Estimates) includes the surrender of the land; whether this land belongs to, and is under the control of, the Imperial Government; and whether the land to which it is proposed to remove the Admiralty establishment at Sydney belongs to the Imperial Government or to the Colonial Government; and, if to the latter, will the Admiralty reserve the right to use this new naval establishment for Imperial purposes for a fixed period or only during the pleasure of the Colonial Government?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONSydney is, and remains, the headquarters of the Royal Navy in the South Pacific, in the sense that Admiralty stores are kept there; but the ports of other colonies will be equally visited by Her Majesty's ships, and serve as bases in the event of war. The Admiralty will cease to have any interest in land which is surrendered in exchange for land more suitable for naval requirements. The "Imperial purposes" for which the naval establishments are maintained are primarily the defence of Australasian commerce, and Her Majesty's Government are fully satisfied with the conditions under which the land will be held, which have been agreed upon by Her Majesty's Government and the Colonial Government.
§ SIR J. COLOMBDoes the noble Lord mean to say we hold the land subject to the consent of the Colonial Government?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONI would not put it in that way. We have an absolute right of ownership of a certain part of the land, and other land is now being transferred to us.
§ SIR J. COLOMBWill the noble Lord lay the Papers on the Table?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONWe have not the Government contracts.