§ MR. RUNCIMAN (Dewsbury)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether any portion of His Majesty's Navy is employed either on the Atlantic or on the Pacific coasts in protecting Canadian fisheries; and, if so, whether the Admiralty can form any estimate of the cost of such services to the Crown after making allowance for the time during which such ships are employed, the cost of maintaining the ships and their crews, and for depreciation and interest on capital; and whether the Canadian Government refunds to the Crown a sum sufficient to cover the whole or part of this cost.
(Answered by Mr. Pretyman.)In the last three years only one of His Majesty's ships (in each year) has been employed in the sea fishery patrol on the Pacific and none on the Atlantic seaboard of Canada. In 1903 H.M.S. "Shearwater" was employed on seal fishery patrol in the Pacific from 20th July to 21st September, and her cost of maintenance for that period was approximately £2,650; but this patrol involved no additional cost to naval funds as the vessel employed would, in any case, be required as part of the normal squadron on the Pacific station. No portion of this expense has been refunded by the Canadian Government.