§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention had been called to the announcement in Berlin that the Schichan yard received a building order from the office of the Imperial Marine for a large modern battleship, and the construction of the large armoured cruiser H had been entrusted to the Hamburg yard of BlÕhm and Voss; and whether he had any information that would enable him to state that those vessels were in addition to those belonging to the accelerated 1909 programme, or whether they were the two ships referred to by Admiral von Tirpitz, in the Reichstag, on the 29th March, when he said that contracts for two other ships would not be placed until some months after the conditions for tendering had been drawn up late in the summer?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe vessels mentioned as having been ordered at Schichau and BlÕhm and Voss respectively are two of the four large ships of the 1909–1910 programme. According to the German Press, Admiral von Tirpitz stated in the Reichstag that the remaining two ships of the 1909-1910 programme would not be tendered for till the late summer.
§ Mr. ASHLEYWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us how long the preparations for these vessels have been going on previous to the orders being definitely given?
§ Mr. McKENNAI think it would be undesirable to do so.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his official information showed that Germany cannot build a single battleship as quickly as we can?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe time required for building a single battleship, whether in Germany or in this country, would necessarily vary according to the number of men employed and the amount of over- 1520 time worked—both of which factors would depend upon the amount of money expended. I have no information to enable me to make the exact comparison suggested in the question.
§ Mr. LONSDALEIs there any justification for the statement made by a Member of the Government that Germany cannot build as quickly as we can?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not think that that question ought to be asked of me.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEHave not the right hon. Gentleman and the Prime Minister already stated in this House that Germany can build as fast as this country?
§ Mr. McKENNAAs far as I remember my own words were that they can build almost, if not quite, as fast as we can. I do not call to mind the exact words used by the Prime Minister.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the German Government have means of obtaining funds otherwise than through Parliamentary grants?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of this question.