§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what has been the naval expenditure on the naval depot at Wei-hai-Wei up to the present time, as compared with the Estimates laid before Parliament, and excluding expenditure from Army Votes on engineer and garrison services.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.The expenditure on the naval depot at Wei-hai-Wei for the year 1898–99, in round figures, was. £25,500, of which rather more than £7,000 was spent on dredging, £15,000 on the purchase of land, and the balance on a rifle range, repairs, and various small miscellaneous services. As regards the 1183 present year, I am unable to add anything to the information which I gave in the debate on the Naval Estimates on March 2nd last.