§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can inform the House who was responsible for the expenditure of over £2,000 on a motor boat acquired by the Greenock torpedo factory for long-range running of torpedoes, but not used for that purpose, and finally transferred to the Rosyth dockyard for sale; whether the motor boat has yet been sold; and what was the price received?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThis was one of the very fast coastal motor boats built for service against the enemy during the War and placed upon the Sale List, as surplus to peace requirements, after the War. Subsequently the need arose for such a vessel to be attached to the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory to enable torpedoes under trial to be run at greater ranges than the length of the torpedo range at Loch Long permitted. The expenditure of £2,000 was therefore1900W approved by the Board of Admiralty to fit the boat for this service, and was an economical alternative to the employment of a torpedo-boat destroyer for the purpose. After the expense had been incurred, a novel and still more economical system of running torpedoes at long range was evolved, making it possible to dispense with the use of a fast vessel for following up the torpedoes. The hon. Member must be aware that in every progressive business new systems, tending to more economical working, are evolved from time to time, but that this fact by no means justifies the suggestion that expenditure thus rendered unfruitful was not necessary when it took place.
In reply to the latter part of the question—since this vessel was originally placed on the Sale List, experience has shown that there is little market for these coastal motor boats which were built for war service, and from their design and other features are unsuitable for industrial or pleasure purposes. It has therefore been decided to sell the machinery of the boat separately, and to use the hull as a towed target for gunnery practices.