MAJOR JONES&c.) (Carmarthen,I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, having regard to the present industrial depression, and the great advantage that would accrue to the country as a Naval Power from having the men engaged in shipbuilding trained in the construction of war ships, the Admiralty will, as far as possible, place the orders for carrying out the new Naval Programme with the private yards of the United Kingdom?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Sir U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTH,) Lancashire, ClitheroeThe Admiralty recognise the advantage of distributing shipbuilding between the dockyards and private yards. During the present financial year arrangements have been made for building two great cruisers and a large number of torpedo boat destroyers by contract. But the mode in which next year's contract will be divided between the dockyards and the private trade cannot be explained until the general announcements are made with respect to the coming Estimates. It may be worth while to remind the House that every ship built in the dockyards necessitates a considerable amount of contract work in the hands of private firms.