§ MR. NORMANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether a letter was received by the Admiralty from the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Station, covering a letter addressed to him by his second in command, in which the latter expressed anxiety at the shortage of coal in the Mediterranean; whether this shortage existed; if so, who was the official responsible for it, and what steps have been taken to remedy it.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIn the opinion of the Board of Admiralty, all communications received from Commanders-in-Chief must be regarded as absolutely confidential. I am not, therefore, prepared to make any statement as to the contents of communications of this character. The Admiralty desire, however, to afford the House all information in respect of the coal supply to the Fleet which can be given consistently with the interests of the public service. The stock of coal in the Mediterranean—including in that term the current supply to the Fleet and the Reserve—has always been fixed by the Admiralty in communication with the Commander-in-Chief, and there has been no shortage from the authorised standard within recent years. Early in 1900 the Admiralty, in communication with the officers locally responsible for the maintenance of the supply, namely the Commander-in-Chief and the Admiral Superintendent at Malta, decided that the authorised Reserve was becoming insufficient owing to the increase in the size and I.H.P. of the Mediterranean Fleet. An increase was approved on the 5th February, and since that time the stock has been steadily and greatly augmented, and a new standard fixed. An increase of the stock, however, is no simple matter. Coal, if long stored, deteriorates rapidly, especially if not under cover, and it cannot be stacked more than a certain height without risk of combustion, for which reasons, the Admiralty two years ago decided to adopt patent fuel largely for part of these reserves; moreover, neither coal nor patent fuel can be advantageously or economically stacked except in close. 139 proximity to deep water. Much additional storage ground has had, therefore, to be acquired or created at Malta and Gibraltar. This has been continuously done since the autumn of 1899, with the result that the stock has been greatly increased, and full provision was made in the Naval Works Loan Act of 1901, in respect of any further requirements of storage ground, and all accessories.
§ MR. NORMANArising out of that answer, Sir, will the hon. Gentleman say whether, when such confidential statements have been made in responsible quarters, the Admiralty think it desirable to take action upon them or not?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThat depends entirely on the nature of the communication.
§ MR. NORMANI meant the statement in my Question.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERWhether it is the statement referred to in the Question or not, the same answer applies. The action of the Admiralty depends on the nature of the communication and the authority of the person making it.
§ MR. NORMANThe hon. Gentleman has not answered my first supplementary Question, whether the Admiralty propose to take any action in this specific case in consequence of this particular charge.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAction was taken, not in consequence of the statement, but prior to it. The results are now being seen.