§ MR. MIDDLEMORE (Birmingham, N.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state whether, in the opinion of his naval advisers, the four 7.5 guns carried in the "Natal," "Achilles," "Cochrane," and "Warrior" are equal as an anti-torpedo armament to the ten 6-inch guns carried by the two vessels of similar class, the "Duke of Edinburgh" and the "Black Prince."
§ MR. McKENNAI am not prepared to discuss, in answer to a Parliamentary Question, the comparative merits of different types of gun as an anti-torpedo craft armament. There is much difference of professional opinion on the subject.
§ MR. MIDDLEMOREDoes the right hon. Gentleman adhere to the opinion that the armaments afford adequate protection?
§ MR. McKENNAYes, I do not think I can go beyond my present statement and say I am not prepared to discuss the matter.
§ MR. MIDDLEMOREI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what constitutes the secondary or anti-torpedo armament of the "Bellerophon" class and the "St. Vincent" class respectively.
§ MR. McKENNAWhen no longer confidential, details of the armament 59 of these ships will be published in the Return which stands in the name of my right hon. friend the Member for the Forest of Dean.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEWill the right hon. Gentleman try and secure that in future the Return is published a little earlier, as the information comes too late to be of use here?
§ MR. McKENNAYes, I greatly regret that it was published so late this year.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman guarantee that it is published before the threatened invasion of this country comes off?
§ [No Answer was returned.]