HC Deb 29 February 1904 vol 130 cc1222-3
MR. KEARLEY (Devonport)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the new battleship "Prince of Wales," which has just completed her gun trials at Chatham, and is to be ready for commission by the end of March, has armour plates around her foremost barbette which are developing fissures and cracks, and scaling off in patches of considerable size and thickness; and, if so, whether she will be allowed to go to sea with defective protection, or whether it will be necessary to unbuild, to remove the defective plates; and, in such case, whether the manufacturers of the armour plates will be called upon to bear the entire expense incurred.

THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN,) Suffolk, Woodbridge

One of the armour plates of the forward barbette of H.M.S. "Prince of Wales" has developed defects on its face since being worked into the ship, but these defects are not of such a serious character as the hon. Member's Question implies, and unless they should prove to be progressive, it will not be necessary to remove and replace the plate. It has been decided to keep the plate under observation for a time, but should an extension of the defects occur, it may be necessary to call upon the manufacturers to provide a new plate.