§ SIR BERKELEY SHEFFIELD (Lincolnshire, Brigg)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether it is the intention of the Board to fit refrigerating machinery to the magazines of ships in special reserve, such as the eight battleships of the "Royal Sovereign" class, the "Renown," the two battleships of the "Centurion" class, and the "Nile" and "Trafalgar."
(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) Provision has been made in the Estimates for 1908–9 for fitting the "Renown," but with this exception the reply is in the negative. If for any reason any of the ships named should be again brought forward for continuous active service in the Fleet, the question of fitting refrigerating machinery in them would be further considered.
§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether the full amount of £200,000 or more will be spent under the current year's Estimates for refrigerating machinery of magazines of ships; and what are the chief items in the Votes on which savings are anticipated in the letter of application to the Treasury asking for their sanction to this new expenditure without presenting a Supplementary Estimate to the House.
(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) So far as can be seen at present, it is anticipated that the expenditure in the 755 current financial year will not fall far short of £200,000. As regard? the second part of the Question, the Treasury was asked to sanction an expenditure of £200,000 on the understanding that a Supplementary Estimate would be presented if necessary. The expense, can, however, be defrayed from surpluses which have accrued on the provision for other services, principally under Votes 7, 8, Section III. 9, and 10.