THE EARL OF DUNRAVENMy Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is true that 400,000 tons of Cardiff coal have recently been consigned to foreign agents; and whether adequate steps have been taken to ensure a sufficient supply of steam coal for national requirements. It is most important that there should be an adequate amount of the best steam coal not only for Her Majesty's ships, but for the vast fleet of transports, and the announcement that 400,000 tons of what is after all a very limited commodity had been consigned to foreign agents gives food for reflection. I do not suggest that Her Majesty's Government should commence commandeering coal or that we should interfere with the ordinary course of trade, but the matter is one which should be very carefully watched. I should like to feel that Her Majesty's Government have got something in the shape of priority of call, and could, if necessity arose, appropriate for itself, paying whatever damages may be necessary, any large supply of coal proposed to be exported to foreign countries.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEI have been asked to reply to this question in the absence of the noble Duke (the Duke of Marlborough) who usually represents the Admiralty in this House, and whose engagements in South Africa render his presence here impossible. The attention of the Admiralty has been drawn to the rumour that a firm in 562 Cardiff has contracted to supply a foreign Government with 400,000 tons of coal, but diligent inquiries at Cardiff have so far not resulted in any confirmation of the statement. I need scarcely say, whether the statement is correct or not, the subject of assuring to ourselves sufficient supplies of coal for naval requirements is one which is never out of the mind of the Board of Admiralty.
§ House adjourned at twenty minutes past Five of the clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Four of the clock.