§ MR. WILLIAM ALLAN (Gateshead)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the boiler space in U.M.S. "Medusa" was too small for the Dürr water-tube boilers at present being fitted into her at Jarrow, and that the tubes had to be bent to get them into the space: and will he state who is responsible for the error.
§ THE SECRETARY TO TOE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.The arrangement of boilers in the "Medusa" was designed by Messrs. Dürr, the patentees and makers of the boiler, under the instructions of the Boiler Committee. The boilers are not too large for the space available, but in order to avoid the necessity of altering projecting coal bunker bulkheads, and to avoid having to remove feed pumps when drawing tubes, a few of the tubes in the outermost rows of each boiler have been slightly bent. This was done by agreement with Messrs. Dürr, and under the direction of their representative. It is not anticipated that the boilers will be less effective on account of the alteration. It was necessary because the "Medusa" was not originally designed for this particular type of boiler.