§ Sir WILLIAM COLLINSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the contracts for the last two battleships of the German programme for 1909 have yet been placed; and whether he has any further evidence of acceleration of the German shipbuilding programme beyond that already referred to by the First Lord?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is understood that the contracts for the last two battleships of the German programme of 1909 will be placed on 1st October. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.