MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he Will give a detailed Return of the expenditure on Haulbowline Dockyard, and a statement showing its present condition; and whether the Government intend to utilise it for the repairs of Her Majesty's vessels on duty around the Irish coasts?
§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask also whether any steps have been taken, or will be taken, to provide and fit up the necessary machinery and appliances suitable for repairing work at Haulbowline 889 Dock; and if the requisite sum for these purposes will he provided for in the Estimates for the coming financial year?
*SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThere will be no objection to giving a detailed Return of expenditure on Haul-bowline Dockyard, and a statement showing its present condition, if the Return is moved for by the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin. This Return would give the Information asked for by the hon. Member for North Cork, in Question No. 63. But I may inform him that steps have been taken within certain limits, and that the expenditure is not yet completed. I have to add, in answer to the second portion of the question of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division, that it is the policy and intention of the Admiralty to use the Dockyard for such repairs as can be executed there without disadvantage. But it is found impossible, in practice, to lay down any absolute rule that ships on duty on any particular coast shall be repaired at a given port. In each case, several circumstances have to be considered.