§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government propose, on strategic grounds alone, that the question of a ship canal between the 703 Firths of Forth and Clyde should come before the Committee of Defence; and, if so, has it been considered by that Committee; and, seeing that Colonel Exham is shortly to report on Rosyth as a naval base, whether, on national public grounds, he will cause him to include that question in his Report.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Admiralty are perfectly clear, so far as they can form a judgment, that the strategical advantages would not be commensurate with the cost. The inquiry cannot be undertaken at the present moment while much more pressing matters require attention.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Is that the view of the right hon. Gentleman only, or is it the view of the Committee of Defence?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is the view of the Admiralty and my view, shared, I believe, by the Committee of Defence.
§ MR. PIRIEThe right hon. Gentleman has not stated if the matter has been before the Committee of Defence?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know that it should be regarded as a matter of course that I should say what has or has not been before the Committee of Defence; that was the only reason why I refrained from answering.
§ The following Question, also on the Paper, was not pressed—
MR. EUGENEWASON (Clackmannan and Kinross)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, when Mr. Exham goes to Rosyth to report as to the works to be constructed there, he will be instructed to consider the feasibility of a canal being made between the Firths of Forth and Clyde, with a view to his reporting to the Committee on National Defence; and, in the event of the reply being in the affirmative, whether Arrochar or Dumbarton should be chosen as the junction of the canal on the west coast.