§ Mr. TILLETTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether reports from the meteorological stations are available for the use of the Admiralty; and, if so, whether warning of the impending gale was sent to the officers responsible for ordering His Majesty's Tug "St. Genny" to sea on Sunday, 12th January?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, all the weather forecasts issued by the Meteorological Office to ships at sea were received and considered by the Commander-in-Chief, who despatched the "St. Genny" and her consorts from Portland on Saturday, 11th January. By the time the special gale warning was issued shortly after noon on Sunday, 12th January, as stated in my reply of 28th January to the hon. Member for Devon-port [OFFICIAL REPORT, column 880], the vessels were approaching Ushant. They were already in the storm area, and any action to recall them to shelter would have been impossible and dangerous.