§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the expenses connected with the salvage operations of the "Montagu" have been charged to the account for repairs and refitting, and how much those salvage operations have approximately cost; and whether the repairs of other ships will be delayed from this cause.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE AD-MIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeThe expenses have been brought to account under various heads according to the nature of the particular service; the principal item of the expense falls upon the sub-head which provides for such contingencies as well as for repairs of ships. The gross cost of the salvage operations is approximately £77,000, without taking into account the value of gear recovered. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.
§ MR. J. WARD (Stoke-on-Trent)I would like to ask the light hon. Gentleman whether the new tenant of Lundy Island has made a claim for damages in respect of the operations that have already been carried out.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONNo such claim has been brought to my notice.
§ MR. JENKINS (Chatham)asked whether the £77,000 included the cost of the warships that attended the operations.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONYes, the aggregate or the whole cost is £77,000.
MR. PELLsuggested that it would be better to keep the repairs account entirely distinct from the other expenses.