§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for India whether it was with his knowledge and sanction that in the autumn of 1915 Sir John Biles went direct to the builders of the "Medjidieh," belonging to Messrs. Lynch Brothers, and obtained a copy of the plans of the steamer; whether the India Office was aware that the barges and steamers supplied did not comply with the requirements of the military authorities in Mesopotamia; what was the total cost incurred in building and sending those steamers and barges; and whether Sir John Biles is still employed, and on a commercial basis, by the India Office as their naval architect?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI understand that Sir John Biles expected to obtain the design of the "Medjidieh" from the builders, and I was not and am not aware that there was anything unusual or unprofessional in this. The design was the property of the builders, was thirty-three years old, and save as to general outline was of little practical value for the construction of a modern vessel. The steamers supplied complied, so far as was practicable, with the specifications received from Mesopotamia, and are to-day running satisfactorily on the Tigris. Others of the same type have since been built for the expedition by the War Office. The barges were reported not to be suitable for the purpose for which they were ordered, but are now in constant use on the upper reaches of the river. The cost of the six steamers as delivered in this country was about £294,000. The cost of navigating them to Mesopotamia was about £11,500. The cost of the forty-three barges was about £250,000. They were mostly shipped as part cargo in enemy vessels controlled by the India Office, and the cost involved in carrying them is not at present available. The answer to the last part of the1942W question is in the affirmative, and Sir John Biles is now employed by the War Office in constructing river craft for use in Mesopotamia.