§ MR.WATT (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that valuable seams of coal exist under the barracks at Hamilton; that the War Office authorities have always hitherto followed the policy of neither working the coal themselves nor letting anyone else work it; and, seeing that coalmasters are at the present moment willing to purchase and work this coal at prices which would in a few years provide several sets of cavalry barracks for Scotland, whether ho proposes to consider proposals for working this coal.
§ MR. HALDANEI am aware of the existence of seams of coal under Hamilton Barracks. Leases extending from 1880 to 1901 have been given to extract one-third of the coal; the extraction of further amounts would lead to the collapse of the barracks. The War Department received about £5,000 during these leases, and would receive about £11,000 if the remaining two-thirds were to be extracted—but on the other hand would lose the existing barracks.