§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was found, on launching the "Burma," that the stability of the vessel was unsatisfactory without ballast; whether any protest was received from any person or officer responsible for the supervision or cognisance of the building of the "Burma." against the placing on board of this ballast until the responsibility for the necessity of such ballast and the price of the ballast had been fixed; whether correspondence took place with the builders or with any other persons in connection therewith; whether the cost of such ballast was £5 6s. per ton; will he state what the usual cost of such ballast is; the name or names of the officer or officers who assisted the Admiral-Superintendent of the Clyde district in connection with the building of the "Burma"; whether Captain Wonham at any time protested against the weight of cables and anchors; whether it had been decided by the Admiralty in January, 1909, to invite tenders for the construction of a new oil tank steamer and for letters to go out immediately; if so, why the order was not provisionally placed until 8th April, 1910; whether in April and May, 1909, the Admiralty were desirous of the oil tank steamer being completed as quickly as possible, and for that purpose instructed Captain Wonham to return the statement of requirements for the proposed steamer 761W at the earliest possible moment; whether negotiations proceeded towards the end of 1908 and commencement of 1909 between Captain Wonham and the Director of Stores with a view to the offer to the Admiralty of an oil tank steamer with a view to purchase; whether specifications for such a steamer were handed by Captain Wonham into the Admiralty for the Director of Stores in or about March, 1909;and whether Captain Wonham's letter of 15th March, 1909, to the Director of Stores was received?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have no information as to the stability of the "Burma" on launching, and no such protest as that referred to in the second part of the question was received. Certain communications passed between the Admiralty and the builders in connection with the fitting of the ballast, the price of which was £5 5s. a ton, this being considered a fair and reasonable price. Captain Wonham was appointed on the staff of the Admiral-Superintendent of the Clyde district for duties in connection with the "Burma," and though no criticism of the weight of the anchors and cable was received when he returned the statement of requirements which had been sent to him for any remarks or observations, he did subsequently point out that they largely exceeded Lloyd's requirements. The Admiralty had decided, in January, 1909, to invite tenders for the construction of a new oil tank steamer, but it had not been decided that letters were to go out immediately. The statement of requirements was sent to Captain Wonham in May, 1909, with a request that he should return it at the earliest possible moment. With regard to the three last paragraphs of the question, certain communications passed between Captain Wonham and the Director of Stores on the subject of an oil tank vessel. I further understand that certain specifications were brought to the Admiralty by Captain Wonham, in March, 1909, but no use was made of them, nor is there now any trace of them at the Admiralty. A letter, dated 15th March, 1909, was received from Captain Wonham by the Director of Stores.