§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick's)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Government intend to complete the equipments necessary to Haulbowline, so as to enable all kinds of repairs to be finished in the dockyard as originally intended; whether any portion of the enormous naval expenditure will be expended in Ireland; whether 1007 H.M.S. Warspite is to be towed across to Devonport for repairs; and whether, having regard to the want of employment at Haulbowline and Passage, the Admiralty will give a fractional share of the work to those places?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Sir U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTH,) Lancashire, Clitheroe(1.) While there is no intention of fully equipping a sixth dockyard, the Haul-bowline Yard plant is being rendered more and more capable of repairing ships in case of emergency. (2.) Yes; both at Belfast and Haulbowline there will be expenditure during the year 1894–5. The coastguard vessels on the Irish coast are repaired at Haulbowline, as well as the Warspite, so far as her repairs can be conveniently arranged for. (3.) When the Warspite proceeds to Devonport it will be under her own steam. (4.) The Admiralty have done, and will do, their best to allot to Haulbowline Yard and to contractors in the neighbourhood of Cork any work that can be done there with due regard to convenience and economy.