HC Deb 07 March 1904 vol 131 cc295-6
MR. YERBURGH (Chester)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the total number of battleships actually laid down from and including the year 1889 to the end of February in this year by Great Britain, counting in the Chilian ships, is fifty, by France twenty-two, by Russia twenty-six, by Germany twenty-seven; is he aware that while we propose a programme of two battleships the Russian programme embraces four battleships, and the German programme two battleships; and whether the Admiralty, for the purposes of the two-Power standard, takes into account any ships other than battleships.

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

The numbers stated in my hon. friend's Question are correct. The two-Power standard has reference to battleships only, whether of this or foreign countries.