§ 22. Colonel DAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of submarines, of each class, in the British Navy and the number in course of construction or approved; and whether he can furnish similar figures in respect of the submarines in the French Navy?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Bridgeman)I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Command Paper 2349, whore full information in regard to all British and French submarines built, building, or approved, will be found.
§ 26. Commander BELLAIRSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that new French proposals for building coast-defence submarines increase the number from three a year and 36 in all to four a year and 48 in all, he can state if these submarines are entirely additional to the 59 building and projected, which are mentioned in the table of the White Paper on the Return of Fleets; and whether he can state the tonnage of these coast-defence submarines?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIncluded in the 59 submarines building and projected are nine submarines, laid down under the coast defence submarine programme (1922–1925). In addition to this number, it is proposed to lay down at least three coast-defence submarines each year, in order to bring the total number of coast defence submarines up to 48. The Bills authorising these increases have not yet received Parliamentary sanction. Of the nine submarines already referred to, three are of 1,129 tons surface displacement and six are of 590 tons surface displacement. I have no information concerning the tonnage of the projected coast-defence submarines.