Mr. WEST RUSSELLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what have been the chief items of hydrographic work carried out by British naval survey vessels during the past three years; what is the work allocated for the coming year; and whether any of these vessels are suitable for carrying out the hydro- 430W graphic work referred to in the first interim Report of the Sub-Committee on the Fishing Industry?
§ Mr. G. HALLThe reply is as follows: (1) The hydrographic work carried out by His Majesty's surveying ships during the past three years in home waters included surveys of the approaches to the Thames, the Downs, approaches to Yarmouth and Lowestoft, Bridlington Bay, Dogger Bank, neighbourhood of Farne Islands, several resurveys on the West Coast of Scotland, Loch Fyne, Isle of Man, Liverpool Bay, Bristol Channel, Falmouth, Portland, Spithead, Little-hampton, as well as surveys of dredged areas in the naval ports. His Majesty's surveying ships abroad have carried out extensive surveys in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Straits of Malacca, North West Coast of Borneo and approaches to Hong Kong, besides various examinations in the naval ports abroad.
(2) The work proposed for the coming year is: In Home Waters—Surveys of the approaches to the Thames, approaches to Lowestoft, an area in the Wash off Skegness, Tees Bay, West Coast of Scotland, St. Ives Bay, approaches to Falmouth, the Solent, as well as surveys in naval ports necessitated by dredging operations. Abroad—Surveying in Mediterranean Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Straits of Malacca, North West Coast of Borneo and approaches to Hong Kong.
(3) Careful consideration has already-been given to the suitability of His Majesty's surveying ships for carrying out the special hydrographical work required in the fishing interests, and referred to in the First Interim Report of the Sub-Committee of the Fishing Industry, but none is in any way suitable.