§ Commander SOUTHBYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the total naval tonnage of the British Navy, including Dominion vessels, on 1st August, 1914, 11th November, 1918, and let January, 1930, respectively; what the estimated tonnage will be on 31st December, 1936, with the building replacement allowed under the London Naval Treaty; what were the total numbers of ships in the British Empire Fleet on each of the above dates; what it is estimated that the number will be on 31st December, 1936; what the corresponding tonnages and numbers of ships of the United States, Japanese, French and Italian navies were on the same dates; and what they are estimated to be on 31st December, 1936?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe total normal tonnages and numbers of vessels on the various date in capital ships, coast defence vessels, aircraft carriers, cruisers, leaders, destroyers and submarines were:
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— 1st August, 1914. 11th November, 1918. 1st January, 1930. No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage. No. Tonnage. Members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. 573 2,160,326 869 2,565,586 286 1,252,898 France … 345 746,214 323 669,536 153 495,673 Italy … 183 353,861 265 379,624 186 311,021 United States of America … 180 881,347 282 1,099,887 457 1,204,457 Japan … 147 522,022 158 660,776 226 807,052 With regard to the tonnage on 31st December, 1936, as it is not possible to forecast how individual signatories of Part III of the London Naval Treaty will employ the tonnage allocated to them under that Treaty, no estimate can be made of the numbers of ships, other than capital ships, which they will possess in each category in 1936. The following will be the tonnages in the limitable categories on 31st December, 1936, on the assumptions (i) that each country will build up to the maximum authorised by Treaty, and (ii) that it will not have been necessary for any country to have invoked Article 21 of the Treaty:
Maximum total tonnages in the limit-able categories on 31st December, 1936, under the Washington and London Naval Treaties:
Members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1,151,450.
United States of America, 1,139,200.
Japan, 714,120.
Countries to which consigned. Quantity. Declared Value. Average declared value per ton. Tons. £ £ s. d. Spain and Canaries 159,453 1,140,242 7 3 0 China (including Hong Kong) 78,298 600,477 7 13 4 Soviet Union (Russia) 75,898 532,273 7 0 3 Japan 53,759 381,381 7 1 11 Dutch East Indies 19,091 145,916 7 12 10 Irish Free State 18,677 143,468 7 13 8 Portugal 18,507 129,454 6 19 9 British India 15,456 109,709 7 2 0 Australia 10,459 75,183 7 3 9 British West Indian Islands and British Guiana 9,504 68,931 7 5 1 Ceylon and Dependencies 6,290 44,028 7 0 0 All other Countries 31,628 235,301 7 8 10 497,020 3,606,363 7 5 1 I am not in a position to make any statement as to the terms upon which this commodity has been exported to the
2104WIn the case of France and Italy, as the Naval negotiations have not yet been concluded, it is not possible to give any estimate of the respective tonnages or numbers on 31st December, 1936.