§ VISCOUNT TURNOUR (Sussex, Horsham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many ships of the 1906–7 programme of France and Germany have now been laid down and ordered.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe French programme of 1906 provided for the construction of six battleships, six destroyers and twenty submarines; two of the battleships to be completed by the end of 1910, the remainining four by the middle of 1911. Although these vessels have been officially ordered it is believed that up to a few weeks ago none of the battleships had been laid down, and it is not known whether any of the other vessels have been yet commenced. The German programme of 1906–7 provided for two battleships, one armoured cruiser, two protected cruisers and twelve destroyers to be completed by the end of 1909. There has been considerable delay in the commencement of the three armoured units. The armoured cruiser is believed to have been only laid down in February 1907, and the keels of the two battleships, if yet laid at all, are believed to have been laid only within the last few weeks. Most of the smaller vessels were begun in 1906.