§ Mr. FELLasked how much would be spent in the course of the financial year on the construction of a battleship, a first-class cruiser, and a destroyer, respectively, if the order were given for their construction on the first day of May next?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn the case of contract-built ships it is very difficult to give with precision the information required, since the earnings depend on the particular amount of progress made by the contractors responsible for the supply of the various parts. But I may give the following as the approximate estimate of amounts that could be spent during the financial year on construction if the orders were placed on the 1st May next:—
If these ships were laid down in the dockyards, the approximate expenditure for the same period would be roughly the same.
£ Battleship 831,000 First-Class Cruiser 861,000 Destroyer 48,000