§ MR. HARMSWORTH (Caithnessshire)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the late Commander-in-Chief on the China station, Sir Cyprian Bridge, has informed the Admiralty that, owing 359 to defective gun sights, the "Centurion" is not fit to go into action.
(Answered by Mr. Prelyman.) The Admiralty are not prepared to answer Questions respecting any communications which pass between them and the Commander-in-Chief of stations; they would never have sent the "Centurion" to China if they did not consider her fit to go into action. I have nothing to add to the information I have already given in respect of the accuracy of the "Centurion's" sights; but I take this opportunity of stating that in the course of carrying out recent gun practice on the China station the "Centurion" obtained three direct hits in succession on an eight feet target at 2,600 yards, steaming at twelve knots, with her ten-inch guns, and only had two lost shots out of sixteen rounds.