HC Deb 05 May 1909 vol 4 c1030
Mr. MIDDLEMORE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the maximum speed of the battleships "Bellerophon" and "Dreadnought"; and what is the maximum speed of the squadron to which they belong?

Mr. McKENNA

The maximum speed of the battleships "Bellerophon" and "Dreadnought" is 21½ knots. Assuming that the maximum speed of the squadron means the maximum speed of the slowest ship, the speed for the squadron to which these ships belong is 17 knots.

Mr. ARTHUR LEE

Is it proposed to replace the slower ships by faster ones of the same class as they become obsolete?

Mr. McKENNA

Oh, yes, certainly, so far as they are possibly homogeneous in making up a squadron?