§ Mr. ARTHUR LEECan the First Lord of the Admiralty give any information with regard to the lamentable accident to two submarines of His Majesty's fleet?
§ Mr. McKENNAI will give the House the latest information I have in regard to this deplorable accident. Submarine C 11 was in collision with the merchant ship "Eddystone" last night, and was sunk. The wreck has been located by sweeping 4½ miles north-west of the Haisborough lightship, off Cromer, in 15 fathoms of water. The Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, who had previously dispatched assistance on receipt of the news, has been directed to undertake salvage operations. Two battleships and two salvage lighters and several torpedo-boat destroyers are on their way to the scene of the wreck. C 17, another submarine, which was also in 2303 collision with another submarine at the same time in trying to avoid the steamer, has been badly damaged, and is being towed to Sheerness. No lives were lost in C 17, but I regret to have to inform the House that, in C 11, 11 men weredrowned, and only three were saved—Lieutenant Brodie, Lieutenant Watkins, and able-seaman Stripes.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether these vessels are supplied with safety apparatus?
§ Mr. McKENNAI should have to inquire into the circumstances of the particular case. I presume they were.