§ 6. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that, on 22nd July, it was officially stated that the organisation of the Fleet prior to the recent changes provided for the maintenance of sixteen battleships in Home waters and six at Gibraltar, where they were stated to be three and a-half days distant and a day for coaling, be will state the date and the grounds on which it was decided that Gibraltar is in Home waters?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLEver since Gibraltar was detached from the Mediterranean Command at the beginning of 1905 it has been recognised as occupying an intermediate position between the foreign stations and Home waters. For certain purposes it may be convenient to reckon Gibraltar in Home waters, but there is no intention of assuming that for strategical purposes its distance from home can be ignored.