Captain CRAIGasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the total sum taken for the first instalment for the four armoured ships of the German programme this year for ships and armament, and what is the corresponding figure for the five armoured ships of our own naval programme?
§ Mr. McKENNAI presume by "this year" the hon. Member means the current financial year. The total sum proposed in the German Naval Estimates is £1,839,530; but the Estimates have not yet been finally approved. It is not our practice to provide for the payment of ships by means of Votes for annual instalments, and there is consequently no corresponding figure for the five armoured ships of our own Naval programme.