§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the names, number, and situations of all the Government and private shipbuilding yards in the United Kingdom which are capable of constructing battleships of the improved "Dreadnought" type or armoured cruisers of the improved "Invincible" type; how many slips suitable for such work are there in each yard; which of such slips are occupied at the present time, and when will they be vacated; and what are the present engineering and shipbuilding resources of these respective yards so far as modern battleships and armoured cruisers are concerned over a period of two years?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)I would refer the Noble and gallant Lord to the reply given to the late Member for Brighton in reply to a similar question on the 17th March, 1909. I do not think it would be right for me to state the Admiralty opinion of the capacity of individual private yards, as such an expression of opinion would necessarily institute a comparison between the capabilities of the respective private shipbuilding firms of the country.
§ Mr. GRETTONasked how many shipbuilding slips, including both the royal dockyards and contractors' slips, would be 2747W occupied as at present arranged by warships of the "Dreadnought" and "Invincible" classes building or laid down for the Royal Navy; and how many contractors' slips in the United Kingdom are occupied by similar vessels building for other purposes than the Royal Navy which it is known will not be launched before the 1st April, 1911?
§ Mr. McKENNAAs regards the first part of the question, there are four slips occupied by warships of the "Dreadnought" and "Invincible" type building under contract for the Admiralty out of money provided in the Navy Estimates, and two building out of money provided by the Colonies. The reply to the second part of the question is none.