§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked whether the 1908 amendment to the German Navy Law would increase the number of German battleships?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs explained by my right hon. Friend the First Lord in an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Northamptonshire East, on Monday last, 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.
§ Lord C. BERESFORDIs the House to understand that the First Lord's statement was incorrect?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly not.
§ Lord C. BERESFORDNot if he stated that there were four ships added?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe First Lord does not make that suggestion. The fact is that in the execution of the programme it is possible that a new battleship may come into commission before the age-limit of the ship which she will replace has been reached. Therefore, temporarily, there may be an overlapping, and the First Lord was perfectly accurate in saying that there might be an increase in the number of battleships. I hope I have made the point quite clear now.
§ Lord C. BERESFORDThe hon. Gentle-man is evidently not aware that the First Lord told me, on the 13th instant., that he made a mistake.
§ Lord C. BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the official statement that the German Navy Law of 1900, when complete, meant a navy of thirty-three capital ships, including "Dreadnoughts" and cruisers, as well as pre-"Dreadnoughts," he would lay a Paper showing how the discrepancy had arisen between this estimate and the German Navy Law of 1900, with amendments of 1906 and 1908, which, when complete, showed a navy of fifty-eight capital ships, including "Dreadnoughts" and cruisers, as well as pre-"Dreadnoughts"?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn the statement to which the Noble Lord refers the number thirty-three relates to "Dreadnoughts" and "Dreadnought" cruisers only; and in order to make up the total to fifty-eight armoured ships, the Noble Lord must add to the thirty-three "Dreadnoughts" and "Dreadnought" cruisers sixteen pre-"Dreadnought" battleships and nine pre-"Dreadnought" armoured cruisers. This number of twenty-five pre-"Dreadnoughts" was covered by the words in the statement "as well as pre-'Dreadnoughts,'" the phrase "as well as" meaning "in addition to."
§ Lord C. BERESFORDWill the First Lord lay any papers, because there is great resentment in Germany owing to the inaccurate statement about the German Navy?