§ MR. CUST (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he can state approximately the amount paid to British shippers by the Admiralty for all vessels chartered or bought for all kinds of transport in connection with the South African War, and the average amount of coal consumed in such transports in proportion to their tonnage during the period they have remained in the service of the Government.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)The information referred to in the first part of the question is not available at short notice, and would take some considerable time to prepare. It is, moreover, not quite clear whether both transports and freight ships are meant to be included, as it is only in the case of the former that the consumption of coal affects the Government. The average consumption of coal on transports, which is apparently wanted ship by ship, can only be obtained from the coal accounts so far as rendered. This would be a lengthy process, and reference to India would be necessary if the ships engaged there are to be included, as the coal accounts are at Bombay.