§ 15. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, at the time that the mail steamer "Leinster" was sunk by enemy submarine, the wireless installation at Kingstown was out of order and did not immediately receive the S.O.S. calls; and whether, although many Government craft, including destroyers, were in Kingstown Harbour at the time the "Leinster" was sunk about twelve miles only from the harbour, a considerable time elapsed before any Government vessel reached the scene of the disaster?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty is not aware that the wireless installation at Kingstown was out of order, and as I stated in my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for East Mayo, all available vessels were clear of the harbour within ten minutes after the senior naval officer, Kingstown, received the message. My hon. Friend will realise that a certain proportion of the vessels in harbour are undergoing boiler cleaning, and so on, and cannot be kept permanently at sea.
§ Mr. HOUSTONI trust my right hon. Friend will forgive me, in view of the very pressing request made to me by survivors and relatives of those lost, and the owners of the "Leinster," if I ask the following question: Whether he is aware that on Thursday last, 17th inst., he stated that the S.O.S. from the "Leinster" was sent out at 9.25 a.m., and was received by the senior naval officer at Kingstown at 9.50 a.m., and can he explain why twenty-five minutes were required in conveying that Marconi message from its receipt to the naval officer in charge at Kingstown; does the right hon. Gentleman remember that he also stated that the scene of the disaster was only twelve miles from Kingstown, and that the rescuing craft sent out only arrived on the scene of the disaster at 10.40 a.m.—that is one hour and fifteen minutes from the time the S.O.S. was sent out; and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if the "Leinster" had been escorted by destroyers that very probably a great many more lives than were saved would have been saved, and that not only minutes but seconds are of importance when human beings are drowning?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend has correctly stated the facts that the 751 times were 9.25 and 9.50, when the S.O.S. message was respectively sent out and received.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWhy was it so?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt may be that the wireless installation on the "Leinster" was injured, and that the message received at Kingston was not from the "Leinster" but another vessel—I can not say!—I will make inquiries; and the twelve miles distance is also true. The weather was very heavy, but all the vessels available in the harbour put out within ten minutes. There were, when they arrived, two torpedo boat destroyers which had been engaged in patrol operations on the scene. With regard to the question of continuous escort I have done my best to answer that in response to the request of the hon. Member for East Mayo (Mr. Dillon).
§ Mr. HOUSTONDoes not my right hon. Friend recognise that a Marconi message is about instantaneous in its delivery, and that the message did not come from the "Leinster" at all, but from the "Ulster"; and if it was received at 9.50 why did twenty-five minutes transpire before it was in the hands of the officer who was supposed to be on duty?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs I have said I recognise the time occupied (twenty-five minutes) in the receipt of the message by the naval officer, but I have suggested that possibly it was due to the fact that the message came from some other vessel because of the failure of the Marconi apparatus on the "Leinster." I do not know—that may be the reason; but I have already said I will inquire.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill my right hon. Friend forgive me if I persist, as this is a most important question. Will he inquire carefully into the reason why the message took twenty-four minutes—because I assume the sending out would take a minute—from 9.25 to its receipt, by the senior naval officer or his substitute?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have said I will make inquiry?
§ Mr. DILLONIs it possible that the senior naval officer at Kingstown in his report of this disaster, did not go into full details as to why the wireless message had not been received directly at Kingstown but handed from another vessel?
§ Dr. MACNAMARASo far as I am aware, no; but I shall make inquiries.