MR. M?KENNA (Monmouthshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the debate of next Monday, and of a promise made by him last June, he will lay upon the Table in the course of the present week a Return of all sums spent in payment of demurrage and of time charter hire of steamships (under charter to the Government for the purposes of the South African war) in respect of time when these vessels were not actually engaged in loading, transporting, or discharging.
§ * THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.As a large part of the transport work during the war has been carried out by the Admiralty, I will ask leave to answer the hon. Member. I am unable to trace the promise to which he refers, but I shall be able, before the debate on Monday, to furnish him with a Statement showing the amount spent in payment of demurrage. I cannot at present undertake to give an adequate reply to the second part of the Question. The compilation of such a Return as that asked for would take a long time, and when furnished would be misleading, as many of the ships were detained for military purposes, and not on account of any difficulty connected with the discharge or reception of the troops or horses they conveyed. Transports on time charter have not been engaged for the conveyance of stores.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Is it the case that the Admiralty has the arrangement of the freights from foreign countries to South Africa?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI said a large part of the work was arranged by the Admiralty. A portion is done by the War Office, as the Return will show.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERBefore Monday.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI think I can do that.