HC Deb 25 February 1918 vol 103 cc1094-5
55. Commander BELLAIRS

asked the Prime Minister whether in 1912 Lord Fisher was a member of the Defence Committee ; and whether his memorandum warning the Government that the German submarines would be used against merchant ships was submitted to the Defence Committee and the Admiralty?

Mr. BONAR LAW

Lord Fisher was not at that time a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence, and I am informed that no such memorandum was submitted.

56. Mr. G. TERRELL

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of our present failure to completely stop the submarine menace, the Government will, with the object of stimulating inventive enter prise, consider the advisabiliy of offering a reward of £250,000 to any inventor who can devise some practical method of defeating the enemy's object?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I do not think this suggestion would be effective for the purpose.

Mr. TERRELL

Does my right hon. Friend consider that all is being done that can be done, and that there is nothing more to be done in this matter?

Mr. BONAR LAW

If trying to do what is necessary would do it, everything has been done; but I am convinced that the public spirit of the citizens of this country would not be stimulated by the offer of a reward of £250,000.

Mr. WHYTE

Does my right hon. Friend think it is in the public interest to allow the first paragraph in the question to appear unchallenged?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I did not think it necessary to say that I and the Government are not responsible for the form of questions.

Colonel C. LOWTHER

Could not a special Board of Inventions be set up to examine inventions to deal with submarines?

Mr. BONAR LAW

My hon. and gallant Friend, I am sure, knows that a Board of Inventions has existed since the beginning of the War, and efforts have been made again and again to strengthen it.

Mr. W. THORNE

Has not the submarine been a failure to a very great extent?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I cannot attempt to give the history of the submarine menace. It has been made quite plain that we have met with more success than we expected, and more success than we hoped, but nobody denies it is still a danger.