§ 27. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many years he reckons between the completion of a cruiser and the date on which she becomes obsolete; and how many cruisers it will be necessary to build before 1st April, 1940, in order 1359 that the 50 cruisers, stated to be necessary for the defence of the Empire, may be in existence (not including obsolete ships) at that date?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe life of a cruiser from the date of completion may be taken as 20 years. It is not possible to give an exact figure as to the replacement programme up to 1940, pending the result of the negotiations at the Naval Conference.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that, allowing 20 years for the life of a ship, 25 ships will be required to keep up our strength at the end of 10 years?
§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEHas it not been laid down that 50 cruisers are our minimum requirement, and did not the right hon. Gentleman say that a ship's life is only 20 years? This being so, how can the Naval Conference affect the number of new ships required in any way?
Mr. ALEXANDERMy answer is quite right, because the matters before the Naval Conference include the question of scrapping as well as of construction.