HC Deb 01 March 1910 vol 14 c736
Mr. MIDDLEMORE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any of His Majesty's ships carrying guns of four inches calibre and over, and being in other respects liable to carry out heavy gun-layers' tests in 1909, did not, in fact, carry out those tests; what ships were they; and why did they not carry out the tests in question?

Mr. McKENNA

Yes, Sir; the ships were the "Invincible," "Blake," "Commonwealth," "Cambrian," "Hermione," "Roxburgh," "Topaze," "Lapwing," "Philomel," "Fox," "Speedwell," "Speedy," "Sharpshooter," "Flora," "Dwarf." The case of the "Invincible" I have already referred to; the remaining ships had no opportunity for carrying out the test named on account of the services on which they have been employed.

Mr. MIDDLEMORE

Why did those ships not carry out the tests?

Mr. McKENNA

I have given the reason. They were engaged on various services, which gave them no opportunity of carrying out the tests.