§ 43. Mr. GOULDasked the Secretary to the Admiralty the number and gross tonnage of passenger liners and the number and dead-weight tonnage of cargo vessels of German ownership interned abroad prior to the Armistice date, the numbers to include vessels which had been operated by our Allies?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAt the time of the Armistice there were fifteen German liners interned abroad with a gross tonnage of 249,754 tons, and 649 German cargo vessels with a gross tonnage of 2,251,439. The dead-weight tonnage of the latter is not immediately available, but can be procured if desired. In addition to the above, 290 German vessels of 591,231 tons were captured at sea by us and the Allies. These figures include ships operated by us or our Allies. If my hon. Friend would wish for further information on this subject generally, I will gladly arrange an interview for him with the proper authorities at the Admiralty.
§ Mr. GOULDMight I ask if the large number of vessels referred to by the right hon. Gentleman as cargo ships are not semi-liners?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot say without going into the matter. It may be so.