§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the following figures, purporting to represent the coal consumption of certain ships in the Channel Squadron on a given day, are correct: H.M.S. Hannibal, battleship (14,900 tons), 40 tons; H.M.S. Isis, cruiser (5,600 tons), 24 tons; H.M.S. Furious, cruiser (5,750 tons), 38 tons; H.M.S. Arrogant, cruiser (5,750 tons), 49 tons; H.M.S. Pelorus, cruiser (2,135 tons), 30 tons; and whether the large consumption of the Furious, Arrogant, and Pelorus, is in any degree attributable to their being fitted with water-tube boilers; if so, whether he will now reconsider his previous decision, and will despatch a vessel of the Diadem class on an extended ocean voyage under conditions similar to those which would arise in time of war in the event of the ship being ordered to reinforce a distant station at high speed, or to overtake or anticipate the arrival of a hostile cruiser at the Cape, the West Indies, or other distant point?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. W. E. MACARTNEY, Antrim, S.)No report has been received from the Vice-Admiral commanding the Channel Squadron, giving the figures mentioned in the first paragraph of the Question.
In reply to a further Question, which was inaudible, Mr. Macartney said: We have not been able to identify the figures. Had it not been so near the end of the Session we might have done so in time.