HC Deb 09 July 1907 vol 177 cc1425-6
MR. HUNT

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether there are now twelve battleships and eight cruisers laid up with skeleton crews; and, if so, how long it would take to make these vessels serviceable after the outbreak of war.

MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON

There are at present eleven battleships and ten cruisers with reduced nucleus crews ready for sea at five days notice. They are in a better state of preparedness for war than were the twenty-one battleships and twenty-five cruisers of the Fleet Reserve in August, 1904, before the nucleus crew system was introduced.

MR. HUNT

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what number of men form the nucleus crew in this case?

MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON

I cannot say without notice, but I should think seventy or eighty.

Sir GILBERT PARKER (Graves-end)

Are these ships and cruisers in need of repairs?

Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON

I should think so.

Mr. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

When are we going to war?