SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BART-LETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the number of Russian men-of-war in the Black Sea, including the ships building, with the probable dates of their completion?
* SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThe information will be found in Durrasier and Valentino's Aide Memoir, Lord Brussels Annual, and the Austrian Marine Almanac.
SIR E. ASHMEAD-BABTLETTI think it is very unusual for an hon. Gentleman, in answering a question, to refer the hon. Member putting it to books with which he may not be acquainted; and I beg, therefore, to give notice that I shall repeat the question on Monday, expecting to receive from him an answer of the kind usually given in reply to such questions.
* SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHI can assure the hon. Member that no discourtesy whatever to him was intended; but it is not thought desirable to make these specific statements as to the number of ships of any Foreign Power 47 in any particular part of Europe; and as the information can be obtained in other quarters I thought it better to refer the hon. Gentleman to these books.