ADMIRAL FIELD (Sussex, Eastbourne)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is the intention of Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to use the new magazines and store houses now in course of building on the land adjoining Priddy's Hard Magazine for the storage of cordite and other high explosives, and what weight of cordite it is proposed to store; whether this decision has been arrived at after careful inquiry and report by a Committee, and, if so, will the names of the Committee be given, and was their report a unanimous one. In view of the near proximity of the magazine to Portsmouth Dockyard, and its certain destruction if a large quantity of cordite should explode at Priddy's Hard, together with heavy loss of life and property in the neighbourhood, was the opinion of the Commander-in-Chief, as also that of the Admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard, asked as to the advisability or otherwise of storing such a high explosive as cordite in its immediate vicinity, and, if so, will the First Lord favour the House with their views, or lay the Committee's Report upon the Table; and in view of the disastrous explosion of the magazine at Toulon recently, and the at present unknown cause of the destruction of the "Maine" at Havana last year, will their Lordships suspend the erection of the cordite magazine for the present, 168 and consider the advisability of arranging with the War Office for the storage of cordite in one of the useless forts on Portsdown Hill, which could be readily approached by Porchester Creek.
MR. GOSCHENIt is intended to use the new magazines and storehouses in question for the storage of cordite and other explosives. It would be contrary to the interest of the public service to state what quantities of explosives will or may be stored there. In reply to questions 2 and 3, I need not assure the hon. Member or the House that the decision was arrived at after the most careful and exhaustive inquiry, and the Admiralty itself must assume the entire responsibility. It would be both contrary to precedent and inexpedient to publish the Reports of Committees or individuals who have been consulted on the subject. I should add that the question of the safety of cordite as compared with gunpowder has been fully considered by an important War Office Committee. The facts elicited and the experiments carried out show that cordite is safer to stow, handle, and keep than gunpowder. The quantity of the latter stored inside Portsmouth Harbour in magazines and hulks has been large; it is now much reduced, and will diminish every year. The abolition of the powder hulks, which will ensue on the extension of Priddy's Hard, and the improvements now being made in the magazines, will make the dockyard and environs even safer than at present. Rapid embarkation of explosives for mobilization necessitates that the sources of supply shall be conveniently situated. No action of the nature proposed in the last part of the question is in contemplation.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)May I ask if, with due regard to public policy, the right hon. Gentleman can state if the amount of cordite stored in this place would be sufficient, if exploded, to blow up the dockyard?
MR. GOSCHENI do not think that is a question which could be ascertained, nor is it one on which it is desirable to have a public discussion. The Admiralty is responsible in this most important matter, and every attention will be given to it. I must ask the House to rely on the administration of the Admiralty.
ADMIRAL FIELDI beg to give notice that I will call attention to this matter in Committee of Supply on the Admiralty Vote.