HC Deb 05 November 1908 vol 195 cc1391-2
MR. BELLAIRS

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the "Inflexible" and "Indomitable" are classed as battleships on page 270 of the Navy List and as armeured cruisers on pages 270d, 331, and 332; and whether it is the intention of the Board to increase the paper strength of the Navy by counting these vessels in both classes.

MR. MCKENNA

I am much obliged to my hon. friend for calling attention to a clerical error in this month's Navy List; it will be corrected next month. My hon. friend's suggestion that the transference from one class to another can or would increase the paper strength, is quite without foundation.

MR. BELLAIRS

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is the practice of the Admiralty officials on the front bench when talking of battleships to count in these vessels and when talking of cruisers also to count them in?

MR. MCKENNA

That alleged practice is a pure fiction of the hon. Gentleman.