Mr. PIKE PEASEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the proposed expenditure for 1911–12 for Great Britain, and Germany, Austria, and Italy, respectively, on new construction and armaments?
§ The SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The proposed expenditures asked for are as follows: Great Britain, £17,566,877; Germany, £11,715,752; Austria-Hungary, £3,125,000; Italy, £2,277,302. The amount given for Italy is liable to alteration, as the Estimates have not been finally passed.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked what is the average cost per ton of "Dreadnoughts" built in British Government yards, and of similar ships built in British private yards?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is not clear from my hon. Friend's question whether he desires to institute a comparison between the cost per ton of the total displacement of dockyard built ships on the one hand and contract built ships on the other; or whether he seeks to confine his comparison to the cost of particular classes of tons in each case, namely, hull, engines, guns, gun-mountings, armament, etc. No doubt comparisons under each of these headings are possible, but their compilation would involve considerable labour, and in any case, any comparison would be only approximately accurate for the reason, amongst others, that we are not in a position to say whether the basis of indirect charge is the same in each case.
Mr. PEELWill the hon. Member take steps to see that Great Britain gets terms at least as good as foreign Powers?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI should think there would be no doubt about that.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to a statement made by the Grand Vizier in the Turkish Parliament that Messrs. Sir G. W. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Co., Ltd., had tendered for the supply of the hull and engines of two "Dreadnoughts" for the Turkish Government at £51 per ton, as against £63 per ton paid by Great Britain; and if there is any reason why Great Britain should pay £12 per ton more to a British firm for her 453 "Dreadnoughts" than is paid by a foreign Government to the same firm?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have no information enabling me to make a direct comparison between the cost of building Admiralty "Dreadnoughts" in this country and the cost referred to in the question for building two "Dreadnoughts" for the Turkish Government. I know no reason why the Admiralty should pay more per ton to a British firm for Admiralty "Dreadnoughts" than the firm would charge a foreign government for similar work. I may add that, taking the case of the latest Admiralty "Dreadnought" delivered from contractors, the total cost of hull, armour for hull, and machinery, works out at substantially less than £63 per ton of the total displacement of the ship.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYDoes it work out at less than £51 a ton?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot say it does.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYWill the hon. Gentleman make inquiries as to why Turkey is getting these two vessels at £51 a ton and we are asked to pay considerably more?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not know that the statement made in the question is correct.