§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that thirty-four British first-class battleships have their waterlines at both ends unarmoured, thirteen have unarmoured sterns, and only the most modern thirteen have complete belts; whether all the French and German battleships have complete belts at the waterline; whether his attention has been called to the published opinion expressed last November by the present Sea Lords of the Admiralty concerning certain first-class battleships that their unarmoured ends make them vulnerable to a second-class cruiser, and, if so, will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe Board of Admiralty are familiar with the 727 constructive details of the ships mentioned in the hon. Member's Question, and no action is considered necessary.
§ *CAPTAIN HERVEY (Bury St. Edmunds)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Russo-Japanese War the unarmoured parts of ships had holes torn in them by shell over an extent of ten feet by eight feet?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. The hon. Member ought to give notice of that Question.