§ 9. Mr. MIDDLEMOREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the present strength of the German High Sea Fleet in fully commissioned battleships and battle cruisers; and what is the corresponding strength of the Home Fleet in ships based upon Home ports?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Churchill)The present strength of the German High Sea Fleet in fully commissioned battleships and battle cruisers is:—
| "Dreadnought" battleships | 13 |
| Pre-"Dreadnought" battleships | 8 |
| Battle cruisers | 4 |
§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREDo those figures show the 60 per cent. superiority such as the right hon. Gentleman promised us in Home waters?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir, more than 60 per cent. of superiority in "Dreadnoughts" at the present time Owing to the absence of the three German ships to which I have referred, the British numbers will be greater than those of Germany.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLOne is in the Mediterranean, and the other two are, I think, off South America.