§ MR. R. MCKENNA (Monmouth, N.)On behalf of my hon. Friend. Mr. D. A. Thomas (Merthyr Tydvil), I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can state the sums expended during recent years upon our coaling stations abroad, and what amount, if any, is available for further expenditure; what amount has been expended on the defences of the South Wales coal ports: and, in the event, from any unforeseen cause, of a stoppage of supplies from these ports, what sources of supply of smokeless steam coal are available for the Navy and for stocking the coaling stations?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.Since 1885 £1,700,000 has been expended on works and armament at coaling stations abroad, of which a considerable portion has been contributed by the Indian and Colonial Governments. To complete the scheme £255,000 still remains to be expended. In the same period £72,000 has been spent on the defences of Milford Haven, and £16,000 on the Bristol Channel. The hypothetical question as to coal is rather for the Naval authorities than for the War Office.