§ *MR. ALFEED DAVIESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can explain why the Government did not exercise the powers in the subsidy contract with the steamship companies when war was imminent with the late Transvaal Government, and when the ultimatum had been issued and British territory invaded, by taking their fastest steamers for transports which were available, some of which have an average speed of twenty-one to twenty-two knots, and would have done the passage to Cape Town in twelve to fourteen days (the length of passage by ordinary steamers being sixteen days), instead of chartering at that time steamers many of which had an average speed of ten to twelve knots, and took twenty to twenty-eight days for the passage to Cape Town; and whether, Shaving regard to the importance of the arrival of troops eight or twelve days earlier at that critical time, he can state why the following steamers were employed for carrying troops — namely, the "Jelunga," which took thirty-six days from Southampton to Durban; the "Harlech Castle," which took twenty-six days from Southampton to Cape Town; the "Manila," which took twenty-six days from Southampton to Cape Town; and the "Zibengla," which took twenty-eight days from Birkenhead to Cape Town.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIt is doubtful whether the Admiralty had power to take up subsidised ships for the purpose of transport, and in any case the Admiralty does not consider it desirable 38 to make a demand upon the steamship companies which would clearly be at variance with the intention of both parties when entering into the contract. The intention of the Admiralty was to obtain the use of these vessels as armed cruisers, and not as transports in a non-maritime war. Many of the steamers on the Admiralty List, especially the Atlantic vessels of very high speed, are not suited for the purpose of Army transport, and would require extensive alterations and refitting to make them available for the purpose. When two of the Atlantic vessels were subsequently engaged (not under the Subsidy Agreements) they took eighteen and nineteen days respectively to reach Cape Town. They are quite unsuited for the conveyance of artillery (for which the first requisition was received) and for cavalry. The "Jelunga" was all ready fitted when requisition for the despatch of troops was received. It was necessary to send her via the Mediterranean and Suez Canal, as the Rifle Brigade, which was one of the regiments selected for South Africa, was stationed at Crete. With regard to the other vessels—looking to the necessity in every case of erecting special fittings, it was obviously necessary to take the most suitable ships actually in British ports, a necessity which, of course, limits choice. The "Harlech Castle" and "Manila" each lost four days on their passage through heavy weather. As there were only three weeks in which to prepare transport for 20,000 men, the ships that could be got at once had to be taken to enable it to be done, as it was.
§ *MR. ALFRED DAVIESWere not some of the ships only fit to be broken up for old iron at the time they were hired?
§ [No answer was given.]