§ LORD GRENFELLMy Lords, I am desired, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Wemyss, to put the Question that stands in his name on the Paper—viz.: To ask the Leaders of both Parties in this House whether they are of opinion that our present state of Land Home Defence realises and gives full effect to the following Resolution, unanimously passed by them and their followers in the House of Lords five years ago—
That it would be a danger to the Realm, and limit the power of the Navy as an offensive force in war, to trust to it alone for home defence; and, inasmuch as it is admitted that the Navy cannot guarantee us against so-called hostile raids,' it is the more needful that our land defences should at all times be such that no Nation would ever attempt, in any form, a hostile landing on our shores.
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE EARL OF CREWE)My Lords, I am sure we all regret the absence of the noble Earl who has placed this Question on the Paper, and I feel sure that if he had been in a position to put it himself he would have developed the subject at somewhat greater length than did my noble and gallant friend on the Cross Benches. But I am inclined to ask the House whether, in view of the Motion to be brought forward by the noble and gallant Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, it would be wise on this occasion to attempt to enter into the details of this matter, or to give a reasoned reply in any sense to the Question. To answer the Question fully would involve a long statement of the kind to which your Lordships have not been unaccustomed in previous debates on this subject of Defence, and we should find ourselves in the position, I think, of having to say again on the Motion of Lord Roberts what had been said to-day. But, speaking quite generally, I am prepared to give an affirmative answer to the Question of the noble Earl.