§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether His Majesty's Government are now prepared to abandon the formula of a two-Power standard for battleship construction, and to accept a proportion of 66 to 41, or roughly 3 to 2, as against the next strongest Power?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)No, Sir, I have nothing 802 to add to the statement of the Prime Minister in the Debate of the 26th May last.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEIs it not the case that the Government have already abandoned the two-Power standard?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have nothing to add to the statement made in May last.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTThe Government do not desire to make any statement on Lord Charles Beresford's speech?
§ Mr. McKENNANo, Sir.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked whether existing pre— "Dreadnought" battleships will retain so much fighting value in March, 1914, that a superiority of 26 to 21 ships of the "Dreadnought" and "Invincible" types, as against the next strongest Power—that is to say, a superiority in these types of about 20 per cent, over a one-Power standard, is sufficient to ensure the safety of the Empire?
§ Mr. McKENNAI hope my hon. Friend will excuse me from replying to a controversial question, the decision upon which could lead to no action until the financial year 1911–1912.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked the right hon. Gentleman if he is prepared to say what estimate the Board have formed as to the number of completed ships of the "Dreadnought" and "Invincible" type which Germany will have in March, 1914?
§ Mr. McKENNAUnless the German shipbuilding programme is altered or expedited, the numbers will be:—
"Dreadnoughts" … … 16 "Invincibles" … … 5
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked how many ships of the "Dreadnought" and" Invincible" types it would be necessary to lay down in addition to the four de-finitely provided in this year's Estimates, in order to arrive at a total of 26 in March. 1914; whether, in order to secure this number at this date it is necessary to lay down the four extra ships for which conditional sanction was asked during the present financial year; and, if not, over how many programmes, excluding the current year, the construction could be spread?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe reply to the first part of the question is 10. The reply to the second part is in the negative; and to the last part, two annual programmes.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTYou say two annual programmes, and that ships begun in 1912 would not be ready in 1914? Does that mean it would be 1910–11?
§ Mr. McKENNAShips begun in 1912–13 would not ordinarily be completed by 26th March, 1914.