§ 3. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the official Return of Fleets for 1911 and for 1912 shows the number of completed British destroyers increased by two, and the number of completed German destroyers by seventeen from 31st March, 1911, to 31st March, 1912; and whether he proposes to expedite this rate of relative progress?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir. The explanation is that during the period 31st March, 1911, to 31st March, 1912, seventeen German destroyers were completed, and no German destroyers were removed from the effective list. During the same period, while twenty-one new British destroyers were completed, nineteen of the older boats were placed on the non-effective list.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREIs it not a fact that we have forty-eight destroyers of older date than any in the German Navy?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI should not like to give an answer to that offhand.
§ 4. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked between what dates the German destroyers of the 1910–11 programme were completed; what was the contract date for the completion of the last British destroyers of that year's programme; and when it is now anticipated that the last will be completed?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe first of the twelve German destroyers of the 1910–11 programme was completed on the 4th May, 1911, and the last on the 20th December, 1911. The contract date for the completion of the last destroyers of the British 1910–11 programme, the "Firedrake," "Lurcher," and "Oak," is the 21st August next. It is now expected that these three boats will be completed in August, September, and October next, respectively.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMORECan the right hon. Gentleman explain the comparative disparity of our building torpedo craft?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo. I do not know that I can give the reasons why our construction of that year is behind, but that does not affect the general statement which I have made as to our margin.