§ MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the new Home Fleet is to be nominally based upon Sheerness, and that there are neither at that port nor at Chatham any docks capable.of accommodating vessels of the "Dreadnought" or "Invincible" classes, and that these ports, as well as Portsmouth, are only accessible to battleships at certain states of the tide and for a limited portion of each day, he will state whether it is the intention of the Government to create an effective and always accessible naval base for the Home Fleet on the East Coast; and whether, with this object in view, the works at Rosyth will be pressed on with all possible speed.
§ *MR. LAMBERTThe Answer to the first part is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I can only repeat the Answer given on 6th December that the matter is receiving careful consideration,†and plans are being prepared for the information of the Board.
†See (4) Debates, clxvi., 1167.
§ MR. JENKINS (Chatham)asked if the Admiralty would consider the advisability of creating such accommodation at the home dockyards as was required for the modern warship.
§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Chatham basin is crowded with ships which have come in for Christmas, and it would take a week to get them out?
§ *MR. LAMBERTThat is a piece of information rather than a Question.
§ MR. BELLAIRSWill the right hon. Gentleman take it into consideration?
§ *MR. LAMBERTYes.
§ CAPTAIN HERVEY (Bury St. Edmunds)I called attention to this question months ago.