19. Commander SOUTH BYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the names of the five cruisers now in special commission; upon what duties they are employed; and how many are employed outside home waters?
Mr. ALEXANDERAs the answer is in tabular form I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The required particulars are as follow:
§ Ship, Function or Status and Present Position.
§ "Concord": Signal School Cruiser, Portsmouth.
§ "Champion": Gunnery and Torpedo School Cruiser, Portsmouth.
§ "Cumberland": In commission with reduced crew while refitting, Chatham.
§ "Dragon": In commission with reduced crew for trials, Chatham.
§ "Dartmouth": In commission with navigating party for passage from Portsmouth to Devonport, where she will be placed in reserve, Devonport.
395§ His Majesty's Ships "Cumberland" and "Dragon" will shortly be completing to full complement for service on the China Station and America and West Indies Station respectively.
23. Commander SOUTH BYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the names of the seven cruisers now paid off for repairs, etc.; and whether any of these ships are now in the sale list?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe seven cruisers referred to in my reply of the 5th February to the bon. and gallant Member [OFFICIAL REPORT, columns 1879–80] are His Majesty's Ships "Danae," "Colombo," "Cardiff," "Coventry," "Ceres," "Diomede" and "Dauntless." Since-then His Majesty's Ship "Dauntless" has been commissioned for trials. The remaining six ships are all paid off for large repairs and none are on the sale list.
§ 24. Colonel GRETTONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty upon what basis the reduced number of 50 cruisers as needful for the British Empire is calculated?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe number 50 has been arrived at after full investigation and is that which will, it is considered, meet all requirements for the period of an agreement which it is hoped will be reached as a result of the London Naval Conference. The number is subject to the satisfactory outcome of that Conference.
§ Colonel GRETTONCannot the right hon. Gentleman give the basis on which the calculation was made?
Mr. ALEXANDERThat has already been stated. The Admiralty in the past advanced the view that a different number of cruisers was required, namely, 70. It has been quite plainly stated that, in view of the developments that have since taken place—the signing of the Pact of Paris and the holding of the Naval Conference—50 cruisers would be sufficient for the period covered by any agreement reached by the Conference.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYIs the signing of the Kellogg Pact the only new feature that has entered into the situation, or are there any other matters that have arisen since the minimum requirements were first stated as 70?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe signing of the Pact of Paris was the act of one day, but the result of that act we hope will be a very different thing.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYAre these the only new factors that have entered into the situation?
§ Major ROSSIs it not the case that the right hon. Gentleman is banking on there being no war during that period, but, if war does break out, then our naval forces are insufficient?
§ Mr. WISEIs it not the case that a return to the previous figure would involve a substantial increase in cruiser tonnage at the present moment?
Mr. ALEXANDERIf I understand the hon. Member to mean a return to the figure 70, most certainly it would.