§ 19. Mr. HOUSTONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total cost to the nation of the sixty odd vessels of the "Kil" type lying in Southampton Water, and what he proposes to do with them; and whether he can state the total cost to the nation of the 500, or thereabouts, M.L. motor launches lying in the Hamble River, and what he proposes to do with them?
§ Mr. LONGIn regard to the first part of the question, the cost of each of this class was approximately £42,600, exclusive of guns. There are now fifty-two "Kil" boats in Southampton Water, and, as stated in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for the Central Division of Kingston-upon-Hull on Wednesday last, proposals are under consideration for utilising such of these boats as are surplus to naval requirements for commercial purposes. With regard to motor launches, the approximate cost of each boat is £8,000, exclusive of guns; and, as stated in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for North Dorset on the 27th October last, some 100 boats of this class have already been sold, and arrangements are actively proceeding for the disposal of such of the remainder as are not required for naval purposes.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill the right hon. Gentleman, with a view to greater accuracy, have these vessels recounted; is he aware that they were of very little use during the War, and that they entail a very serious loss to the nation; and can he state whether the £8,000 for these motor boats was the price paid for them in America, to which has to be added the cost of transport and alterations on this side?
§ Mr. LONGIn answer to my hon. Friend's further statements, some of the information obviously I must obtain, but I have -no reason to doubt that my figures are correct. As to whether these vessels were of any use during the War, I do not know whether the reference is to the first or the second part of the question.
§ Mr. HOUSTONThe second part.
§ Mr. LONGI think that is a statement which requires to be qualified It is quite possible that my hon. Friend may have counted these boats and arrived at a different conclusion from that to which I 343 have arrived. It is just possible the explanation is that they have been counted on different days.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill the right hon. Gentleman count them himself, as I did last Saturday?