§ MR. BELLAIRSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that an official telegram was received by the Admiralty from the Rear-Admiral commanding, sent on 27th September, 1906, from Corfu, stating that the port intermediate crank-head of H.M.S. "Angler" had sheared and 1540 wrecked the engine and cylinder, and that three men had been seriously injured; and whether he can state why this casualty was omitted from the annual Return ordered by this House.
§ MR. McKENNAThis accident was omitted from the annual Return for 1907 as, owing to the papers on the subject being required for a lengthy inquiry and subsequent action, they did not reach the Department for record until November, 1907. The casualty will, however, be included in the 1908 Return, with a note explanatory of the reason why it was not included in the previous year's list.
§ MR. BELLAIRSSeeing that exactly the same excuse was made in the case of H.M.S. "Terrible," are we to understand that the Admiralty, which takes six months to get out a Return ordered by this House, can always avail itself of the excuse that the records are away at the time a Return is being prepared?
§ MR. McKENNAThe Admiralty are not availing themselves of any excuse. The cases will appear in a subsequent Return.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (Worcestershire, E.)Is any public advantage gained by a continuation of these Returns?
§ MR. McKENNAThe Question of the right hon. Gentleman gives me very much to think over on this subject.