§ Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Trade how many British ships, of how much aggregate tonnage, were launched in the three first months of the years 1914, 1915, and 1916, respectively?
Mr. RUNCIMANAccording to the returns published by "Lloyd's Register of Shipping," the number of merchant vessels launched during the first three months of each of the years mentioned,' and their aggregate gross tonnage, were as follows:
Year. Steam. Sail. No. Gross tonnage. No. Grosstonnage. 1914 142 428,549 6 576 1915 121 266,732 4 880 1916 67 80,161 2 500