§ SIR WILLIAM ALLAN (Gateshead)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the extent of the damage done to each vessel when H.M.S. "Bulwark" and "Formidable" collided during manœuvres in the Mediterranean.
†See page 650.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.)On August 19 last, the "Bulwark" and "Formidable" came into momentary contact while preparing to carry out towing exercises. The damage done was small, the anchor bed and a portion of the torpedo net shelf of the "Bulwark" were slightly damaged, and were repaired during the ordinary refit of the ship in November. On the "Formidable" the hinges of the leadsman's platform were broken, the metal casting of the casemate port was damaged, and a small portion of the hinged torpedo net shelf round the casemate broken. On the ships being subsequently docked for general refit, it was found that three of the frames below the waterline were slightly dented, and as the ship was in dock the opportunity was taken to straighten them, though the sea-worthiness of the ship was in no way interfered with. The damage to both ships was of the slightest description, and the cost of repairs has been trifling. I am quite unable to account for the gross exaggerations of this incident which have recently appeared in the public press.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)asked whether it was not a fact that notices were posted in each of the ships prohibiting any account of the incident being sent home, and whether that might not account for the exaggerations to which the hon. Gentleman had referred.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERsaid he had no information on that subject.
In reply to a further question by Sir W. Allan, Mr. Arnold-Forster said there was no armour plating in the part of the ship where the frames were bent.