§ Mr. WATTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state why the breaking-up condition is not to be insisted on in the sale on the 11th inst. of the gunboat "Snap," while it is to be enforced in the cases of the "Collingwood" and "Rodney," to be offered for sale the same day?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe difference is due to the relative importance of the ships—the "Collingwood" and "Rodney" are obsolete armoured battleships, while the "Snap" is a small unarmoured gunboat not likely in any circumstances to be of any fighting value.
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§ Mr. WATTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there is a breaking-up condition attached to the engines of the "Collingwood" and "Rodney" to be sold on the 11th inst.; and whether he is aware that these engines, if sold entire, could be utilised for merchant vessels?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe breaking-up clause refers to the ship, her guns, and mountings. The engines are not referred to therein. The Admiralty is not aware that the engines referred to could be utilised for merchant ships. The general experience of shipbreaking firms is that there is no market for battleships' engines except as scrap.