§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked what percentage of the completed battleships, armoured and battle cruisers, smaller cruisers, and destroyers in the British and German Navies, respectively, were launched subsequent to the year 1904?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe respective numbers of completed ships in the British and German Navies that were launched subsequent to 1904 are as follows:—
A comparison based on the percentages asked for is apt to be misleading; but I will circulate the figures with the Votes.—[See Written Answers this date.]
- Battleships—Great Britain, 16; Germany, 11.
- Armoured and battle cruisers—Great Britain, 11; Germany 5.
- Protected cruisers—Great Britain, 8; Germany, 12.
- Unarmoured cruisers—Great Britain, 5; Germany, nil.
- Destroyers—Great Britain, 68; Germany, 71.
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREIs it the fact, in regard to destroyers, that the percentage of increases on the part of Germany is nearly double ours?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is certainly much greater, but, of course, there is a certain number of our programme which will be completed in the near future, and with those which are going to be taken in hand at once the percentages will be greatly altered.