§ 23. Captain ALAN GRAHAMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty will concert measures with the Board of Trade to make installation of fighter-aeroplane catapults obligatory on all new mercantile ships of 18,000 tons or over, in order to lessen the demands on convoy escorts in war-time by thus furnishing their own protection against aerial or submarine commerce raiders?
Lord STANLEYThe general question of the protection of convoys against all forms of attack is continuously under review. When air escorts are necessary in addition to the defence provided by anti-aircraft guns, they are better provided by flying boats, shore-based aircraft or carrier borne aircraft, than by the measures suggested in the question.