§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE - BRABAZONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that in the case of the "Kent," constructed at Chatham, the sum of £378,740 was absorbed by dockyard labour and £1,105,919 went to the contractor, while in the case of the "Cornwall," constructed at Devonport, the sum of £383,107 was paid in wages bills and £1,148,574 went to the contractor, he will have inquiry made into the present system?
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§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI have been asked to reply. I regret that it is not possible to furnish the whole of the information asked for without the expenditure of much time and labour; but, with the permission of the hon. and gallant Member, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL, REPORT such particulars as are available in regard to the most important of the contracts.
Following are the particulars:
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe figures quoted by .my hon. and gallant Friend coincide approximately with the published estimates except as regards contract work on "Cornwall," the cost of which is estimated at over £45,000 less than the figure assigned in the question. There is no need for an inquiry into the present system, the facts of which are well known. The work that is sent to contract, which in the main comprises the supply of guns, gun mountings, armour, main and auxiliary machinery, is not within the capacity of His Majesty's yards.
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§ Lieut. -Colonel MOORE - BRABAZONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many ships have been ordered for the Royal Navy since the War; how many of these have been allotted to private shipbuilding yards; and how many to the royal yards?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThirty-three ships have been ordered for the Royal Navy since the War. Twenty-three of these have been allotted to private shipbuilding yards and 10 to royal dockyards.