§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the approximate cost of the conversion of five river gunboats 1131W from the China station from oil to coal owing to a shortage of oil supplies; and whether arrangements are under consideration to facilitate similar conversions should need arise?
Mr. CooperThe cost of the alterations in the five gunboats referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend was approximately £400. I should add, however, that these vessels were originally designed to burn coal as well as oil, so that the change was merely a reversion to the original arrangement, involving very little work. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.