§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state upon what date or dates the submarine life-saving helmets, of which delivery will be completed in November, were ordered; how many of these helmets have been ordered and supplied, respectively; and what is the cost of one of these helmets?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe life-saving helmets, of which delivery will be completed in November, 1909, were ordered on the 16th December, 1908. The number ordered was 605, of which 288 have been delivered to date. It is not desirable to state the cost of any particular portion of the equipment of His Majesty's submarines.
§ Mr. A. LEEMay I inquire why, when the right hon. Gentleman told us on May 7th that these appliances would be ordered at the earliest possible moment, he allowed eight months to elapse before these necessary articles for the safety of the crews were supplied?
§ Mr. McKENNAWell, as I have already explained to the hon. Gentleman, these are a new invention, and there was great difficulty in supplying them. There has been no delay.
§ Mr. A. LEEIs it not a delay to wait from May till December?
§ Mr. McKENNALong before the actual order was given negotiations were in progress between the Admiralty and the firms.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many of the submarines at present in commission have been fitted with the air-traps or locks required in connection with the life-saving helmets; how many vessels are in process of being fitted with these air-traps; and what is the cost of one of these fittings and the approximate time required to instal the same?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe reply to the first part of the question is 27; to the second part, none at the present moment. In those boats in which the work has been ordered but not yet done, it will be carried out on the first occasion they are in dockyard hands. With regard to the third part of the question, the cost is about £200 per boat—the time, 18 working days.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether Submarine C 11 has been in dockyards hands since May, 1908; and, if so, during what dates?
§ Mr. McKENNASubmarine C 11 has been in dockyard hands on one occasion since May, 1908, namely, from the 9th November, 1908, to the 24th December, 1908, at Portsmouth.
§ Mr. A. LEEWas advantage taken of the opportunity to fit this vessel with the air-lock required in connection with the life-saving helmets?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe life-saving helmets, as I have already stated, were ordered on 16th December.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEWhat I asked was whether advantage was taken when the vessel was in dock to fit the air-lock?
§ Mr. McKENNAI must inquire.