§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked how many battleships and armoured cruisers are under construction in Great Britain and Germany, respectively; and how many, according to present arrangements, will be laid down for each country as part of the programme of the year 1910–11?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe German ships now under construction are eight battleships, including two preparing for commissioning, and three armoured cruisers. The following vessels will be laid down in the programme of the year 1910–1l:—Three battleships, one armoured cruiser. For the British figures, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement explanatory of the Navy Estimates.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked, in view of the fact that the British destroyers of the 1909–10 programme are to be so expedited as to be completed by April, 1911, how many of the German destroyers provided for in 1909 are now launched and completed, respectively?
§ Mr. McKENNASeven German destroyers of the 1909–10 programme have been launched. We have no official information that any of these are completed.
§ Mr. MEYSEY-THOMPSONasked what is the amount proposed in the Navy Estimates of the United Kingdom and Germany for new construction and armaments in 1910–11, calculated on the same basis as the figures officially given for Germany, namely, £12,177,000?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe sum named by the hon. Gentleman appears to be based on 17 the assumption that the mark is equivalent to a shilling in sterling value; and it appears to include items for renovation of ships, etc., which would not appear in a statement of British new construction. Taking the total of the headings of new construction, gunnery armaments, and torpedo armaments, the comparison is as follows:—
| United Kingdom | £14,957,430. |
| Germany | £11,670,743. |