§ MR. NIELDI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the efforts now being made by Germany in the building of torpedo destroyers, he will inform the House when the sixteen vessels of that type in the new naval 1067 programme for the year are to be put out to tender.
§ MR. LAMBERTIt is proposed to lay down these vessels towards the end of 1908.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEWill the hon. Gentleman represent to the Admiralty the advisability, in view of the present depressed condition of the shipbuilding trade, of letting these contracts at the earliest possible moment, not only to benefit the Exchequer and the taxpayers and to relieve the pressure on a depressed industry, but at the same time to secure the use of these much needed vessels as soon as possible.
§ MR. LAMBERTI shall be pleased to convey the representations of the hon. Gentleman to my colleagues at the Admiralty.