§ 40. Mr. GRETTONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the usual official letters announcing the appointment of Sir William Smith as Director of Naval Construction were issued to the dockyards in October last; if he will state why Sir William Smith has not yet taken up the duties of that appointment; if it is intended that Sir William Smith's appointment as Director of Naval Construction shall be cancelled; and, if so, will he give the reason?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have decided not to proceed further with the appointment of Sir William Smith, whose services are more usefully employed as Superintendent of Contract Work than as Director of Naval Construction. The character of the hon. Gentleman's question makes it necessary for me in answering it to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which Sir William Smith has discharged the difficult and important duties entrusted to him.