§ Mr. GRANTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to estimates as to the future strength of the United States Navy; and, if so, whether he has any statement to make in regard to the matter?
§ Mr. LONGMy attention has been called to a statement in the "Times" of the 25th March, 1920, entitled "Big United States Navy—Fleet to equal British by 1924." Although the statement that the United States Navy Estimates exceed those of Great Britain by £1,000,000 atnormal rate of exchange is accurate, it does not represent a fair comparison, for at current rate of exchange the United States Estimates amount to approximately £112,000,000—that is £28,000,000 more than those of Great Britain. If the £23,000,000 terminal war expenses in the British Estimates are now subtracted at current rate of exchange, the United States Estimates are shown to be no less than £44,000,000 in excess of the British.
As regards personnel, the figures for Great Britain are 136,000, falling to 131,000 by the end of the year; and these totals include all ranks and ratings—officers, men and marines—whereas the United States figures of 120,000, quoted in the article, is the total of enlisted men only and does not include either officers or marines. When the latter are added, the total becomes approximately 147,000. Furthermore, it must be borne in mind that, whereas the British personnel is being reduced, the United States Estimates provide for their personnel being increased. At the end of the year when the British numbers will have fallen to 131,000, the United States numbers will apparently have risen to 177,000. With regard to post-war fleets, it is stated that the United States will have "18 cruisers and destroyers" in commission. This should read "18 cruisers and 144 destroyers." In the table of comparative strengths given at the end of the article, Great Britain is shown as possessing today 23 battleships and 5 battle cruisers; the figures should read 22 and 4 respectively.