§ 13. Mr. DAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of battleships over 25,000 tons which Germany has built during the past two years and has under construction at the present time; and whether the Government still regard Germany as bound by the conditions with regard to the size of battleships as laid down in the Treaty of Versailles?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Sir Samuel Hoare)Germany has completed no battleships over 25,000 tons during the last two years. As regards vessels under construction, His Majesty's Government have received official information that two battleships of 26,000 tons are being built. In addition, reports have recently appeared in a non-official German publication according to which a 35,000 ton battleship was begun in the autumn of this year and another of the same tonnage will be put in hand next year. As regards the second part of the question, the position is that His Majesty's Government will not for their part object to capital ship construction by Germany exceeding the limitation to which the hon. Member refers.
Mr. ALEXANDERDoes that mean that the Anglo-German Naval Treaty, 1935, has given such a free hand to Germany that it must necessarily mean an expansion of the naval armaments of the world?
§ Sir S. HOARENo, Sir, I could not accept that construction or interpretation of my answer.