28. Viscountess ASTORasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what was the cost per ton of building His Majesty's ship "Cornwall" in the royal dockyard at Plymouth, and what has been the cost per ton of building a comparable ship at the other royal dockyards?
Mr. DAVIDSONI am afraid that it is not practicable to give a comparison of the cost per ton of the three cruisers building in the royal dockyards until these vessels have reached a more advanced state of completion.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not a fact that the cost of building these ships in Plymouth is £2 a ton less than at Portsmouth and £4 less than at Chatham, and will the Admiralty bear that in mind in ordering new cruisers?
Mr. DAVIDSONI am not aware of that. If it is brought to our notice, certainly it will be borne in mind.