*MR, BRIGHT (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War who was responsible for ordering the construction of military earthworks on the Surrey Hills; for what purpose they were constructed; whit has been the total expenditure upon them to date; whether the construction is still in progress; and, if not, who is responsible for ordering the discontinuance of the work.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIt is presumed that the hon. Member refers to 1369 the mobilisation centres round London, some of which are in the form of redoubts. The responsibility for the initiation of these works, in 1889, rests with Mr. Stanhope, who was then Secretary of State for War, and the reasons for them are fully given in his speech on the introduction of the Army Estimates on Mar 11th, 1889. The total expenditure on the whole works amounted to £160, 700, and all expenditure has been completed.