§ 21. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the increase in efficiency of the Russian Soviet warships in the Eastern Baltic during the last few months; if he is aware that, among other modern vessels, these include two ships of the line and several modern destroyers; that the shooting of these ships is as accurate as was the shooting of the German men-of-war; whether he will state the object of keeping British ships of war in these waters; and will he state whether he is satisfied that our forces there are sufficient and in no danger of being overwhelmed by a sudden attack?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Long)The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative, and to the third part in the negative. The object of keeping British ships in the Baltic is to prevent unprovoked raids on the coastal towns of the Baltic States and Finland, to prevent interference with the arrangements to feed the needy populations of these border 1332 States, and to prevent the spreading of Bolshevik militarism. The answer to the last portion of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Captain REDMONDMay I ask how the right hon. Gentleman defines Bolshevik militarism?