§ MR. O'SHEE (Waterford. W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the recent trials of the submarine boats built for His Majesty's Navy have satisfied the Admiralty of the utility of these vessels for purposes of naval warfare; and whether it is proposed to build the other submarine boats provided for in the Estimates on the same pattern.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.The trials of the submarine boats now under construction at Barrow are not yet completed, and more extended trials will be required before the exact limitations of the use of these boats can be determined. Provision is made in the Estimates for the current year for the building of additional boats, with such modifications and improvements as experience may suggest.
§ MR. O'SHEEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it was by the permission or authority of the First Lord of the Admiralty that photographs of the submarine boats just completed for His Majesty's Navy recently-appeared in an illustrated paper: and, if so, why was the paper in question selected as the recipient of this favour.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAn application was received on behalf of an illustrated paper for permission to produce a photograph of a submarine boat, and this permission was granted. The paper was not "selected" by the Admiralty. I may add that the photograph actually reproduced was already in the possession of the paper referred to, and was not supplied by or with the permission of the Admiralty. It appears to represent the boat on the occasion of the launch.