§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Shipley) Yorkshire, W.R.,I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if it is the intention of the Admiralty to request the Water-tube Boiler Committee to test the endurance of one of His Majesty's ships fitted with water-tube boilers by driving her at full speed for an ocean passage—say, from England to America or from England to the Suez Canal; and whether any such test has ever been made.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.)It is not the intention of the Admiralty to request the Water-tube Boiler Committee to carry out a trial such as that referred to in the question, as they prefer to leave to the Committee the initiative in asking for such trials as it considers will afford the information which it requires. I have, however, reason to believe that the Water-tube Boiler Committee does propose to institute an ocean trial, provided that such a trial be found necessary, in order to enable it to come to a final decision upon the points referred to. In answer to the last paragraph of the question I have to say that an account of the special trials made by ships fitted with water-tube boilers is to be found in the Memorandum on boilers presented to the House.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYThe hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of the question—whether any such test has been made, for no such information is given in the Paper referred to.
§ MR ARNOLD-FORSTERNo test involving a passage to America or the Suez Canal has been made. All the trials that have been made are reported upon in the Reports and Memorandum referred to.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYHas the endurance of the water-tube boilers been tested in an ocean passage?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERMany tests are adopted in the trials of ships, but no experimental trials other than those mentioned in the Memorandum which has been presented to the House has been made.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYHas any trial been made except for a few hours?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ SIR JAMES JOICEY (Durham, Chester-le-Street)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state how many boilers of the Belleville type have been supplied to the Navy, how many are on order to be supplied, where they have been constructed, the total cost of them to 31st December, 1900, and the amount still to be spent to complete the orders; and what amount has been given as royalties.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe number of Belleville boilers supplied to the Royal Navy is 584. The number on order to be supplied is 1,005. The boilers have been made, or are being made, by a variety of firms, fourteen in number, and in the Royal dockyards at Chatham and Devonport. I shall be happy to give the hon. Member the particulars of the firms in detail if he desires it. It is not possible to give the exact total cost of the boilers, as they are in all cases ordered with the machinery, and the price is not separately stated. It will, however, be possible to give an approximate estimate of the cost of the boilers as apart from the engines, and such a statement is being prepared. The amount of royalties paid in respect of the Belleville boilers up to the present date is £141,470.
§ MR. WILLIAM ALLAN (Gateshead)May I ask why it is that two years ago, when I put this question as to the amount of royalties paid, the figure was then given as £146,000? Now it is only £141,000.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe figure given on the occasion referred to by the hon. Member had reference to the amounts paid and the liabilities for the future. The figure I have now given is in reply to a question as to the amounts paid. Both are correct. If the hon. Member desires to know the outstanding liabilities I will undertake to get the information.
§ MR. WILLIAM ALLANThen have you not yet paid the royalties due to Belleville?
§ SIR JAMES JOICEYWill the hon. Member supply me with the amount of royalties that will be paid on the 1,005 boilers?
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)How many water-tube boilers have been obtained from other sources than Belleville?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI will ascertain that.