§ MR. JACOBY (Derbyshire, Mid)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Government will grant a Return showing the exportation of munitions of war and war ships during the last five years.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThe most complete informa- 444 tion available as to the exports from the United Kingdom of "Arms, ammunition and military and naval stores" during the last five years is contained in the recently published "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom" for 1900, Vol. 1 (Parliamentary Paper, Cd. 549), at pages 307–321, as regards exports of the produce or manufacture of the United Kingdom, and at pages 569–570 as regards exports of foreign and colonial produce. There are no separate particulars as to the value of war ships exported; but figures as to the number and tonnage of such vessels built in the United Kingdom for foreigners are given in the volumes of the "Annual Statement of the Navigation and Shipping of the United Kingdom" for each year. In these circumstances I do not think it necessary that a separate Return should be prepared dealing with this subject.