§ Mr. ASHLEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) how many protected cruisers were nominally attached to the battle squadrons of the first and second divisions of the Home Fleet and of the Atlantic Fleet; whether one-half of these cruisers were at present in dockyard hands; and whether he could explain how the remaining vessels represented a sufficient cruiser complement for three battle fleets totalling twenty-two battleships; (2) what was the total number of battleships, armoured and protected cruisers, and torpedo-boat-destroyers nominally in full commission in Home waters on Thursday last; and how many of that number were then in dockyard hands or absent from Home waters; and (3) how many fully commissioned 388 battle and armoured cruisers were attached to the Home Fleet; how many were in dockyard hands; and the names of those available for immediate service in Home waters?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe nominal strength of the various Fleets is well known, and can be obtained from the Navy List without difficulty. The proportion between ships of different types is a matter which I am ready to discuss on a suitable occasion, but not by way of question and answer across the floor of the House. As regards their actual distribution, and the number in hand at any time for refit, I am prepared to give hon. Members this information privately if desired, but I must, as a general rule and in the absence of very special circumstances, demur to giving, by a series of questions and answers, publicity to what would be, in effect, intelligence reports on naval matters, in regard to which the information available from other sources would be scattered, and possibly inaccurate.
§ Mr. ASHLEYWould the right hon. Gentleman take steps to increase the number of available vessels, which, it seems, are not adequate at the present time?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe question of the hon. Gentleman is a matter which it would be very proper to discuss when the Naval Estimates are set down, or on some other appropriate occasion. It really is not convenient to go into a discussion on the relative strengths and the question of different proportion of ships by question and answer across the floor of the House.
§ Mr. ASHLEYIs it not equally dangerous to give information on the Naval Estimates?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThere are regular times and seasons when the House has a right to go into these questions, and into the general question of naval strength. That is quite a different thing to issuing daily bulletins.