§ MR. ARTHUR LEEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is estimated that the creation of an effective naval base at Rosyth would necessarily occupy a period of not less than seven years from the date of commencing active work thereon; and if he can state what arrangements are to be made in the meantime to provide an effective base for the Home Fleet in the neighbourhood of the East Coast.
§ *MR. LAMBERTHow long it will take to complete the formation of the naval baseat Rosyth must depend on the nature of the scheme finally adopted. In the meantime, the docking facilities of the United Kingdom are sufficient for the requirements of the Home Fleet.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEasked whether there were any docking facilities available for ships of the "Dreadnought" and "Invincible" class within the reach of the East Coast.
§ * MR. LAMBERTreplied that there was docking accommodation for the "Invincible," he believed, at Chatham. But this was a technical matter, and if the hon. Gentleman wanted accurate information he would get it for him.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEasked whether the hon. Gentleman was aware that the docking facilities of which he spoke were only available for about 140 days in each year.
§ *MR. LAMBERTI should like notice of that.
§ MR. J. WARD (Stoke-on-Trent)asked whether there were any men at present engaged in connection with the development of Rosyth, and if so, whether these were in the direct employment of the Admiralty or in the employment of a contractor.
§ *MR. LAMBERTAt the present moment there are only preliminary surveys going on at Rosyth. There is, I believe, a contractor sinking a cylinder there. There is no other work than that going on.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what progress, if any, is being made with the new naval base at Rosyth; whether the superintending engineer who has been in charge of this work from the commencement is to be shortly transferred to another post, and, if so, for what reason; and what arrangements are being made to replace him and to carry on the work.
§ *MR. LAMBERTThe detailed borings are approaching completion, a trial cylinder is being sunk, and the branch railway to the site is practically completed. The superintending engineer at present employed at Rosyth will be transferred to Portsmouth on the completion of these preliminary works. There will be no need to replace him until such time as it becomes necessary actually to commence an approved scheme for the naval base, for which the detailed plans have not yet been fully prepared.
§ MR. LEEAre we to understand that this means that the works at Rosyth have been indefinitely postponed?
§ *MR. LAMBERTThe hon. Gentleman must take the reply I have given as being my reply.
§ MR. J. WARDasked whether there was already sufficient information from 1504 the boring that had taken place to justify him in saying that the Admiralty had practically decided that this was an unsuitable place for a naval base.
§ *MR. LAMBERTNo, Sir, I do not think the hon. Gentleman must take that from my reply.
§ Mr. E. H. LAMB (Rochester)asked the hon. Gentleman whether, if the Admiralty saw fit to continue the work at Rosyth, the House would have an opportunity of discussing the matter before it was actually put in hand.
§ *MR. LAMBERTOf course, on the Naval Estimates next year.