§ 23. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the estimated cost of Admiral Viscount Jellicoe's naval tour of the Empire; and whether the use of a ship of the line was necessary for this tour[...]
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Long)The cost, over and above the ordinary cost of maintenance that would have been incurred had the "New Zealand" remained in home waters in full commission, is estimated at £89,225. 1 he reply to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not a fact that the late Lord Kitchener made a very similar tour for military purposes, and used an ordinary passenger liner, and could not this have been done on this occasion?
§ Mr. LONGAs a matter of fact this tour was arranged before I went to the Board of Admiralty, so that I can speak quite impartially about it. I think it was absolutely of first-rate importance to the whole Empire that the representative of His Majesty's Government, who went out to try and lay the foundations of a real Imperial Navy of the future, should make his tour in one of His Majesty's ships.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not more important to try and make both ends meet?