THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (THE EARL OF LYTTON)My Lords, I desire, with your Lordships' permission, to make a personal explanation with regard to an answer which I gave to the noble Viscount, Lord Midleton, on Wednesday of last week. Owing to the fact that I was unable to consult with the Ministry of Shipping before I came down to the House, one statement in my answer gives, I think, a misleading impression, which I desire to correct. The noble Viscount asked me what tonnage of British shipping is employed in the repatriation of American troops, and I stated, in reply, that at the present time only one ship is being used by the Americans for the repatriation of their troops. The noble Viscount probably gathered the impression from that statement that only one ship had been allocated to this particular service, and that only one ship would be so employed. That was my own impression when I made the statement, and this is the point which I desire to correct.
I find that in fact ships are allocated for repatriation of American troops from time to time after all other Imperial needs have been considered, and therefore the number of ships used in the repatriation of troops to America varies according to circumstances from time to time. When I made this statement last week it was verbally correct to say that only one ship had been so allocated, because at that moment only one ship had been definitely allocated to the American service. I find, however, that since then three more ships—the "Aquitania," with a gross tonnage of 15,000 tons; the "Ulua," of 7,452 tons; and the "Pannonia," of 9,858 tons—have been allocated to the Americans for the month of March. This correction, my Lords, does not affect the general purport of the answer I gave last week. It is true, as I then stated, that the ships on the North Atlantic work which are suitable for other military transport have been withdrawn. It is also true that all the military requirements for the purposes of the transport of troops have been met by the 768 Ministry of Shipping. It is only in respect of that one sentence that I feel my answer was misleading, and I desire, therefore, to correct the impression. It is not the case that only one ship is permanently allocated to the American service. Any ships which are not required for other Imperial needs and which are not suitable for service in other parts of the world are from time to time allocated to the American service. In addition to the two which I mentioned last week there are three which will be so used in the month of March, and in subsequent months this number may be either increased or diminished according to the needs and the circumstances of the work. I hope I have made the point clear to the noble Viscount.
§ VISCOUNT MIDLETONMy Lords, I am sure the House will be much obliged to the noble Earl for correcting a statement which might otherwise have seemed to be misleading. May I ask, Is it quite clear that only ships are lent to the American service at this moment if the War Office really do not require them for the convoy of our own troops?
THE EARL OF LYTTONYes, my Lords. It is perfectly true that the American claim comes last, and it is not met until all Imperial needs, including business needs, of our people have been met, and only such vessels as are not suitable in other parts of the world and are not required for Imperial needs are allocated at any time for the transport of American troops.