HC Deb 22 May 1935 vol 302 c327
11. Mr. GEORGE HALL

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether dual firing of boilers has been adopted by other naval Powers; if so, will be give the names of the Powers, the number and names of the ships, and the amount of coal used; and whether the results are successful?

The CIVIL LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Captain Euan Wallace)

Two countries only have fitted the dual firing system in recent years—France in three vessels of the Suffren class completed in 1931, and Japan in four cruisers completed in 1926 and 1927. The amount of coal consumed in these ships is not known, but coal can only be burnt in a small proportion of the boilers, and is rarely used. Dual firing is not being fitted in new construction by foreign powers, and dual-fired vessels are generally being converted on reconstruction to burn oil only. It can therefore be assumed that the dual-firing system does not commend itself to foreign Powers.