HC Deb 21 March 1911 vol 23 cc367-9W
Mr. PIKE PEASE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state what are the numbers to be voted for the German personnel this year, and the number contemplated under the German Navy Act as amended for succeeding years?

Mr. McKENNA

The total number voted this year is 60,805 officers and men. The amendments to the Fleet Law of 1906 and 1908 give no forecast of the numbers to be voted in future years.

Mr. PIKE PEASE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can furnish a table giving for each year from 1897 to 1910 inclusive, the number of vessels laid down and the number struck off the lists in the German navy in the following classes—namely, battleships, coast-defence vessels, armoured cruisers, protected and unarmoured cruisers, and destroyers?

Mr. McKENNA

furnished the following statement:—

Financial year. Battleships. Coast defence vessels. Armoured cruisers. Protected and unarmoured cruisers. T.B.D's.
1897–98—
Laid down 1
Struck off 1
1898–99—
Laid down 2 1 2 6
Struck off
1899–00—
Laid down 3 3 6
Struck off
1900–01—
Laid down 2 1 6
Struck off 1 (a)
1901–02—
Laid down 2 1 3 6
Struck off 1 (a)
1902–03—
Laid down 2 1 3 6
Struck off
1903–04—
Laid down 2 1 2 6
Struck off
1904–05—
Laid down 2 1 3 6
Struck off 3 (b) 2
1905–06—
Laid down 2 1 3 6—
Struck off 2
1906–07—
Laid down 1 2 12
Struck off
1907–08—
Laid down 4 1 2 12
Struck off 1
1908–09—
Laid down 3 1 2 12 (c)
Struck off 1 2
1909–10—
Laid down 3 1 2 12
Struck off 2 4 1
1910–11—
Laid down 3 1 2 16 (d)
Struck off 3 (e) 3 2 (f) 4 (g)
(a) Lost, (b) Previous to 1897, these were reckoned as battleships, 3rd class. (c) Includes four sold to Turkey in 1810. (d) Includes four building to replace those sold to Turkey. (e) Includes two sold to Turkey. (f) Does not include "Blitz" and "Pfeil" removed from list of cruisers to list of special vessels by Imperial Cabinet order, nor "Sperber" transferred to list of gunboats, (g) Sold to Turkey.

Mr. CHIOZZA MONEY

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he would state the naval expenditure of Germany in each year since 1890; and if he would state what this expenditure includes of a character which is not covered by British Naval Estimates, and what this expenditure excludes of a character which is covered by British Naval Estimates, giving the actual figures relating to these items for each year as far as that is possible, and correcting the crude expenditure figures accordingly?

Mr. McKENNA

supplied the following figures:—

Financial year. Total naval expenditure. Amount of non-corresponding Votes. Corrected figures.
£ £ £
1890–91 3,878,869
1891–92 4,210,436
1892–93 4,943,775
1893–94 3,989,845
1894–95 3,696,148
1895–96 4,083,967
1896–97 4,312,995 62,772 4,250,223
1897–98 5,876,275 141,124 5,735,151
1898–99 6,083,874 99,920 5,983,954
1899–00 6,672,788 50,997 6,621,791
1900–01 7,648,781 54,370 7,594,411
1901–02 9,530,000 118,762 9,411,238
1902–03 10,045,000 70,260 9,974,740
1903–04 10,400,000 69,581 10,330,419
1904–05 10,105,000 95,162 10,009,838
1905–06 11,300,000 172,715 11,127,285
1906–07 12,005,000 218,089 11,786,911
1907–08 14,225,000 286,863 13,938,137
1908–09 16,490,000 371,803 16,118,197
1909–10 19,702,685 432,959 19,269,726
1910–11 21,235,090 543,368 20,691,722
1911–12 22,029,635 541,732 21,487,903

The total naval expenditure for Germany includes the following items not covered in the British Navy Estimates:—Fortifications and garrisons of naval ports, pilot and lighthouse service, meteorological service, secret service, grants to municipal authorities, Admiralty buildings, etc.

This expenditure excludes the following items covered by the British Navy Estimates:—Retired pay, pensions, gratuities, and compassionate allowances, civil superannuation, etc., allowances, coastguard, steamship subsidies, reserves, loan charges, and certain expenditure on big works.