§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps have been taken to replenish the stocks of steam coal and create and maintain a reserve for fleet purposes sufficient to preserve the preparedness of the Navy?
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is not necessary for any special steps to be taken to replenish the stocks of steam coal at the home ports, as the reserve has never been unduly depleted. The existing arrangements are considered to be sufficient to preserv3 the preparedness of the Navy, but in the interests of the public service it is undesirable to state what the reserve is.
§ Mr. LONSDALEIs it not a fact that in the recent manoeuvres the ships were only allowed to use three-tenths of their boiler power?
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is quite true the speed was reduced in anticipation of the possibility that a strike might occur. It was in order to be quite sure that the reserves of coal would be adequate for any emergency that the speed was reduced upon that occasion.