§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether H.M.S. "Irresistible" "Swiftsure," "Triumph," "New Zealand," "Hampshire," and "Roxburgh" were refitting on 8th November; whether he has any official information to show what on that date was the estimated time required to get each of these vessels to sea; if so, what was the estimate for each vessel, respectively; and whether he can state which of these vessels have now completed refit, and the respective dates of completion.
§ MR. McKENNAThe reply to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative. With regard to 1030 the second part of the Question, I am not clear whether the hon. Member wishes to know the estimated date at which these vessels could be completed for sea in an emergency, or whether he wishes to know the date at which they are in the ordinary course to have their refit completed. The dates on the former basis I am not, in the public interest, prepared to give; on the latter basis, the dates are as follows:—"Irresistible," taken in hand 29th September, 1908; date for completion, 12th December, 1908. "Swiftsure," taken in hand 5th October, 1908; date for completion 30th November, 1908. "Triumph," taken in hand 7th September, 1908; date for completion, 26th December, 1908. "New Zealand," taken in hand 31st August, 1908; date for completion, 12th November, 1908. "Hampshire," taken in hand, 12th October, 1908; date for completion, 5th December, 1908. "Roxburgh," taken in hand, 17th September, 1908; date for completion, 15th December, 1908. With regard to the last part of the Question, the "New Zealand" was completed on 12th November.