§ MR. JENKINS (Chatham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what it cost to build the first-class battleship "Sans Pareil," the third-class battleship "Conqueror," and the third-class armoured cruiser "Undaunted;" whether the above-named vessels only realised the sum of £57,500 by public auction at Chatham Dockyard on 9th April; and whether he can inform the House as to the weight of iron, steel, brass, and copper of the three vessels, and also the price which would have been obtainable in the market for such as old scrap.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeThe total cost of the three vessels named was £1,454,093, excluding guns. The amount realised at the sale on the 9th April was £57,800. The weights of the iron, steel, brass and copper cannot be given with any degree of accuracy, and the scrap value depends entirely upon the state of the metal market at the time of sale.
† See (4) Debates, clxxi., 252–3.
§ MR. JENKINSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the whole of the component parts of the ship are weighed when the ship is under construction?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThat may be so.
§ MR. JENKINSIs it not a fact that the total weight of the ship can be easily obtained from the Dockyard record after completion?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI am informed that the total weight cannot be given with approximation to accuracy.