§ LORD CHARLES BERESFORD (Woolwich)I beg to ask the Secretarv to the Admiralty whether he will give the names of the following vessels forming the Mediterranean Fleet in June 1901; viz., battleships, cruisers, torpedo boat destroyers, and similarly the names of the vessels forming the Mediterranean Fleet at present date; also; if all stores and coal are now up to full requirements.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,, Belfast, W.)Since the date named in the Question, the following replacements and additions have taken place. Five battleships, "Royal Oak," "Royal Sovereign," "Empress of India.' 589 "Devastation," and "Hood" have been replaced by seven battleships, viz., "Bulwark," "Implacable," "Irresistible," "Formidable," "London," "Vengeance," and "Repulse." Two cruisers. "Theseus" and "Barham," have been replaced by five cruisers, viz., "Aboukir," "Hermione," "Pegasus," "Pandora," and "Intrepid." The number of torpedo boat destroyers has been raised from sixteen to twenty-eight. The stores of coal were up to requirements at the date named, and are in the same condition now. Owing, however, to the large addition to the Fleet, the requirements have naturally increased, and the total amount of stores and coal is larger than at the earlier date.