§ 7. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked how many battleships Germany now has in full commission in home waters; and what is the corresponding British total, exclusive of 428 such vessels as are in dockyard hands for repair or refit?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am not prepared to give this information at the present time. But the hon. Member may rest assured that the margins of ships available immediately or at short notice are sufficient.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREDoes not the squadron which has been sent to the Mediterranean, together with the six battleships now under repair, reduce our full commission force to fifteen?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI should prefer always to deal with questions of actual naval strength at some period after the situation has actually occurred, and not to have to state from day to day exactly what ships are undergoing repair and how long they will take to bring them up into the active squadron. I am able positively to give the House the assurance that our margins are amply sufficient to allow for the withdrawal of any vessel from the Mediterranean.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDoes the right hon. Gentleman still adhere to the statement made by him in introducing the Supplementary Estimates that in 1915 the proportion will be thirty three to twenty-nine first-class battleships in home waters?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThat is a very partial and imperfect account of the statement I made on that occasion, to which I strictly adhere.
§ 8. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked whether, in view of the fact that under present arrangements we shall have in home waters in 1914 twenty-five fully commissioned battleships and six battle cruisers to Germany's twenty-nine battleships and six battle cruisers, he will consider the advisability of creating an additional battle squadron in home waters before sending ships of this type to foreign stations?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe number of battle cruisers which Germany will have in 1914 is five and not six, as stated in the question. Under present arrangements we shall have thirty-three fully commissioned battleships and five battle cruisers in home waters in 1914. In addition, there will be sixteen battleships of the Second Fleet for which full complements of active service ratings are provided, and which can be completely manned without calling out the reserves.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREIs the right hon. Gentleman taking into account his speech in July, in which he said that a squadron of these battleships would be sent to Gibraltar?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, I am including the squadron which would be based on Gibraltar.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Memorandum which he submitted to the Government of Canada stated that the position in 1915 in home waters will be first-class battleships thirty-three to twenty-one?
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider Gibraltar in home waters?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir; the ships based on Gibraltar are available for general and special defence of the United Kingdom.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that Gibraltar is three and a half days' sailing from the North Sea?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt depends on the speed the ships go at.