§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, having regard to the fact that coal is available in British North Borneo, will he say whether the Defence Committee have yet considered the expediency of acquiring some portion of the Chartered Company's territory, with a view to the establishment of a Naval station at Gaya Bay.
§ * MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS (for Mr. A. J. BALFOUE)said the proceedings of the Defence Committee were necessarily of a confidential character and he could not therefore answer the Question.