§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked the First Lord if he will state precisely what provision of every sort of war vessel was made by the German Navy Law of 1900, as Amended by the subsequent enactments of 1906 and 1908?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe German Fleet Law of 1900 fixed the strength of the fleet at thirty-eight battleships, fourteen large cruisers, and thirty-eight small cruisers. The number of destroyers is not laid down in the law itself, but is fixed at ninety-six on the memorandum accompanying the draft law. The Fleet Law of 1906 increased the number of large cruisers by six, making the total number twenty. In the memorandum accompanying the draft law the number of destroyers was increased to 144. The Fleet Law of 1908 did not alter the nominal total numbers, inasmuch as it shortened the period after which battleships were to be replaced from twenty-five to twenty years, thus making the period the same as for cruisers. The result of this was to increase the number of large armoured ships laid down each year during the period 1908–1911 from three to four, thereby enabling four battleships of 4,034 tons to be replaced four years earlier than would otherwise have been the case. The number of special vessels—gunboats, mining vessels, repair ships, etc.—is not laid down.
§ Mr. McKENNACertainly.
§ Mr. LOUGHDid not a great increase take place in our own Fleet, especially in 1904, between the two years last mentioned in the question?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Estimates for 1904 were exceptionally heavy.
§ Mr. CROFTCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many of the armoured units are "Dreadnoughts" and "Invincibles"?
§ Mr. McKENNAUnder the Fleet Law the number of battleships finally built will be twenty-two of the "Dreadnought" type and eleven armoured cruisers.