§ SIR EDWARD GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the ammunition hoists on board nearly all the ships in the Navy are hand hoists, while those of foreign navies have in addition electrical hoists; if so, can ho state the reason for our ships not being provided with electrical hoists.
MR. GOSCHENThe ammunition hoists in the British Navy are generally hydraulic for heavy guns, and hand for medium and light guns, electrical hoists being fitted only in a few ships Foreign navies have adopted electrical hoists in many cases. The advantages and disadvantages of the two systems, and the conditions under which they should each 639 be used, depend on a variety of circumstances which are too numerous to be dealt with in reply to a question; but as a general principle it is considered that it is not wise to introduce complicated machinery, involving periodical repairs and additional expenditure of fuel, when the work can be done equally well by hand.