§ Mr. STAVELEY-HILLasked what orders have been given by the Board for guns, gun-mountings, and other material in connection with the four new great ships of this year's building programme?
§ Mr. GRETTONasked if any date has been settled upon which tenders for gun-mountings for the extra four ships shall be submitted for acceptance by the Admiralty?
§ Mr. McKENNAFor the two ships of June, 1909, orders for guns and mountings have been placed. For the two of November, 1909, orders for guns have been placed and tenders for mountings are under con- 1360 sideration. For the additional four new ships the tenders for guns and mountings will be considered in the course of the next few weeks.
§ Mr. GRETTONHave tenders for gun-mountings of the four additional ships been asked for?
§ Mr. McKENNAWhen we ask for a tender from any individual firm we ask for tenders for a larger number of mountings than perhaps the individual firm may get orders for.
§ Mr. GRETTONHave the Admiralty now tenders for the gun-mountings for all the ships included in the programme of the year, including the additional ships?
§ Mr. McKENNAWe have received tenders for a sufficient number of gun-mountings, provided they were all of the same type, to cover the four existing ships, but I do not commit myself to the fact that these would be the tenders which would be accepted. We may make a variation.