§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSMy Lords, I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether in the case of this country being at war with one or more European Powers, he can rely absolutely upon the Navy alone for protection against invasion; and, further to inquire whether by relying upon the Navy for security against invasion, its general 690 power and effectiveness, the world over, would not be, pro tanto, lessened by the necessity of retaining in our home waters a sufficient naval force for the protection of the Unired Kingdom, I feel that very few words are needed in putting these Questions to the noble Earl. I have no wish to raise the general question of national defence, for I have a notice on the Paper dealing with that subject which I hope to be able to bring on later in the session, and which I shall postpone till late in the session, in the hope that by that time we shall know better how the proposals of the Government with regard to military organisation are working and are likely to work in the future. My only object today is to direct attention to two very important points in connection with the question of national defence. There is in this country a school who hold that we need look no further than the Navy, and that the Navy alone is all-sufficient for home defence. The chief exponent of that view is Sir John Colomb, and he is backed up by a certain portion of the Press. Therefore I am anxious to know what the opinion on the subject is of the First Lord of the Admiralty. My second Question illustrates my own view of what the effect would be of having to retain in the home waters a sufficient naval force for the protection of the United Kingdom. I hold that no British Government does its duty which does not put the country in such a position with regard to home defence that it shall be independent of the Navy. What strikes me as the great weakness with regard to what I will call the Colombine School is that they forget that the general power and effectiveness of the Navy throughout the world would be pro tanto lessened by the necessity of retaining a sufficient number of ships in our home waters for the protection of the United Kingdom. I beg to ask the Questions standing in my name.
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (The Earl of SELBORNE)With very great respect to my noble friend who has asked these Questions, I hope he will allow me to say that I do not clearly see what public purpose is going to be served by putting these 691 conundrums. Nor do I consider it my duty to supply formulas to answer questions which contain material for debate for all the debating societies in London for years to come. Therefore I cannot enter into this matter quite in the spirit that the noble Lord asks me to do. If he wishes for an expression of opinion on my part, I can only say that I think it will be an evil day for this country when it ceases to regard the Navy as the instrument of material force in which it must place its reliance for protection against invasion, and that the place for the Navy in any such war as that contemplated would be wherever the ships of the enemy were to be found.
§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSWill the noble Lord answer my second Question?
§ THE EARL OF SELBORNEI have nothing to add.
§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSBecause you cannot.
§ House adjourned at ten minutes lie-fore Six o'clock, to Monday, the 14th of April next, at quarter past four o'clock.