§ 58. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether he can state the number of purely merchant steamers of 1,600 tons gross register and upwards, quite apart from war vessels, which were built and completed ready for sea between 1st January, 1917, and 31st December, 1917, and the total gross register tonnage of same?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYDuring 1917, 200 British-built merchant steamers of 1,600 tons (gross) and upwards, aggregating 1,067,696 tons (gross), were completed and brought into service.
§ Mr. HOGGECan the hon. Gentleman assure us his are the right figures, and that the figures given by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the First Lord of the Admiralty, which were all different, are wrong?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYThe figures which I have given do not agree with the figures given by my right hon. Friend opposite because they refer to 1,600 tens gross upwards, whereas the figures given to him on the authority of the Shipping Controller referred to all vessels. I do not know to what other figures my hon. Friend refers.
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYSo far as I am aware, no statement has been made on this particular subject except by my right hon. Friend opposite, and confirmed by the Leader of the House.