§ MR. M. MCCARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, with reference to the necessity for a graving dock at Belfast sufficient to admit battleships, whether, considering 1514 the amount of money expended by the Belfast Harbour Commissioners in making docks and harbour works at Belfast, and considering the convenience to the Navy to be able to have battleships repaired there, he will make inquiry as to the desirability of granting a subsidy towards making a sufficiently large graving dock at Belfast?
§ *CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)asked whether, before granting a subsidy towards the construction of a private dockyard at Belfast, the Admiralty would complete and equip the Government Dockyard at Haulbowline?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. W. E. MACARTNKY,) Antrim, S.This Question is similar to one which was brought before the First Lord of the Admiralty last month by various hon. Members interested in the Clyde navigation. I must repeat the statement then made that the Admiralty have, as the House knows, extensive and costly plans in hand for the improvement of the docking accommodation of Her Majesty's ships, and that they are not prepared at present to take up the further large question of subsidising private docks in this country?
§ MR. McCARTANasked whether they were to understand that the Admiralty refused to spend in Belfast any of the millions they had obtained from the House?
§ [No answer was given.]