§ 16. Mr. HUNTasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that 922 Germany has five military airships of the rigid type of large size capable of being safely used at night and of carrying and of discharging quantities of high explosives on to our docks, ships, magazines, and stores; whether we have any airships of more than one-third of the size of the smallest of these five German airships; if he can say why the Government neglected to build large airships; and what steps he proposes to take to guard against the danger of our deficiency?
§ Colonel SEELYThe reply to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the last part, it is not considered desirable to make public the steps that have been and are being taken.
§ Mr. HUNTIs it not true that the Government have neglected to provide airships, that we are at an enormous disadvantage in comparison with Germany, and that there is danger in case of war that we might have our magazines, stores, and ships blasted with explosives from airships, as we have nothing to protect them?
§ Mr. FARRELLThere are 127 questions on the Paper, and if we are to have many supplementary questions we shall not be able to get through half of them.
§ Colonel SEELYThe fact that we have not supplied a large number of airships does not imply neglect.