§ 15. Rear-Admiral SUETERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in connection with the recent grounding of submarines L 19 and L 26, any experienced submarine officer has ever been associated with those who compile the sailing directions for His Majesty's ships; and, if not, whether he will appoint a small committee of submarine officers to run through the sailing directions to see if better guidance can be given to those called upon to navigate His Majesty's submarines in waters where abnormal tides and strong tidal eddies may be experienced?
The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Sir Bolton Eyres Monsell)No submarine officer has ever been associated with the compilation of sailing directions: these are compiled by navigating 903 and surveying officers specially qualified for such work. The navigation of submarines is in no way different from that of other ships. In the circumstances I am satisfied that no useful purpose would be served by the appointment of the committee suggested.
§ Rear-Admiral SUETERDo not submarines experience interference in normal tidal waters?
§ Rear-Admiral SUETERIs not underwater navigation more difficult than on the surface?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLIt is certainly more difficult if they are submerged. The smaller submarines have orders not to submerge if careful navigation is required, and the larger submarines are not allowed to submerge in less than 15 fathoms of water.
§ 19. Sir GIFFORD FOXasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in connection with the grounding of submarines L 19 and 26, he will look into the adequacy of the information at present available to British submarine commanders either on charts, notices to mariners, or other publications?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLThe grounding of submarines L 19 and 26 was not due to any lack of navigational information. Charts, notices to marines, and other navigational publications are supplied to submarines precisely as they are to other ships of the Royal Navy; these contain the most complete and up-to-date information available, and are considered adequate.
§ 16. Mr. LAMBERTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of submarines built and building by France, Great Britain and Germany, respectively, since 11th November, 1918?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLFrance, since the 11th November, 1918, has built or is building 80 submarines. Great Britain has built or is building 32. Germany has built and is building none.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWhy is France building an enormous number of submarines, seeing that Germany is not building any?