§ 16. Mr. DARBISHIREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what firm of consulting engineers is to be employed in connection with the proposed new naval base at Singapore; and what remuneration will be paid to the firm for its services?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLIt is intended to obtain the opinion of one or more eminent civil engineers on the scheme, but definite arrangements have not yet been made.
§ 17. Mr. DARBISHIREasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what the total cost to date of the Hong Kong Naval Base has been; what its annually recurrent expenditure on Navy Account is to-day; and what military establishment is necessary for its protection and the cost of it per annum?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe total cost to date of the capital expenditure incurred on works, buildings and machinery out of Navy Votes and the Naval Works Acts during the past 81 2327 years is £2,636,367. The annual recurrent expenditure is about £280,000. In regard to the last part of the question, particulars of the military garrison are given on page 28 of the Army Estimates. The estimated cost on the Army Vote for the year 1923–24, including non-effective charges, is £740,000, towards which a contribution estimated at £443,000 will be received from the Colonial Government. The hon. Member will understand that the military garrison is necessary for the protection of the colony, which would require protection whether there was a naval base there or not.
§ 21. Mr. BECKERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, seeing that the new naval base is being constructed at Hong Kong, it is His Majesty's Government's intention in new ship construction to allow sufficient bunker space to enable warships to steam within a 3,500-mile radius?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLI do not understand my hon. Friend's reference in the first part of the question to a new naval base. The question of endurance is being fully taken into consideration in the designs of our new ships, having due regard to the positions of our bases.