§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state how many armoured ships, cruisers, and destroyers have in the last twelve months been taken in hand for alteration or repair within six months of the date of their first commissioning; and what is the total cost of such alteration and repair, and by whom is it borne?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Churchill)The reply to the first part of the question is: four armoured ships, six cruisers, twenty destroyers. The total cost for alteration and repair amounted to £19,804, of which £1,591 was charged to contractors and the rest to the Crown.