§ SIR JOHN COLOMB (Great Yarmouth)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what progress has been made in determining the designs and arrangements for building the Scouts; and whether he can give particulars as to their dimensions, speed, armament, and coal carrying capacity.
(Answered by Mr. Arnold-Forster.) Designs have been received from several firms, and orders for four ships of the new Scout Class have been placed with four of them, conditional upon certain modifications being accepted by them. I speed of 25 knots will be obtained. The armament will consist of ten 12-pounder and eight small automatic guns. The coal supplied will be sufficient for 3,000 knots at 10 knots speed. The exact dimensions of the displacements have not been, determined finally.