§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he would have any objection to lay upon the Table a Return giving a list of Her Majesty's ships fit for active service at sea, showing the dates at which they were respectively ordered, reported ready for sea, and first commissioned, together with the dates at which they have been paid out of commission and re-commissioned, and the stations and services upon which they have been employed down to the present time; also a similar list of ships which have been ordered during the last 25 years, and subsequently either sold, or broken up, or otherwise removed from the category of ships fit for active service at sea?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe Return asked for would involve in its preparation very great clerical labour and considerable expense, nor is it quite clear for what object the Return is wished for. The hon. Gentleman will, however, find in Appendix 9 of the current year's Estimates particulars relating to the cost of every ship in the Navy arranged under the year of completion, and a further table giving the estimated annual rate of depreciation of the different classes of ships, and the annual amount of expenditure required for replacement.
§ MR. PICTONI would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that ordinary Members of Parliament find it quite impossible to trace the history of ships in the Navy; and whether he is aware of any method by which ordinary Members of Parliament can obtain the information they desire?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONAs I have stated, the Return for which the hon. 571 Member has inquired would involve considerable time, trouble, and expense; but if the hon. Gentleman will come to me after the questions are over I will give him every information I can, and do whatever I can to meet his views.