§ 3. Mr. HUNTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what amount of money is provided in the present Estimates for building large dirigibles equal in power and speed to the German "Zeppelin" type; and what amount of money is provided for the necessary sheds for housing them?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo money is provided in the present Estimates for building aircraft of the type referred to. Provision has been made in the Estimates for the building of sheds, which is the essential preliminary to the acquisition of such vessels, but it would not be in the public interest to name the amount.
§ Mr. HUNTIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that Germany has already got twelve big airships and is providing £900,000 for building more during the next twelve months?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe Admiralty is not unprovided with information on that subject.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that sheds only take a tithe of the time to build that airships take?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI should think that that observation is as inaccurate as several others I have heard the hon. Gentleman make on the subject.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the statement is not correct? He knows it is correct.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI shall be very glad to have a proposal for the construction of sheds in a tenth part of the time required to construct airships.