§ 133. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is Her Majesty's Government's latest estimate of the time within which it is technically possible for the Suez Canal to be cleared of serious obstruction to navigation.
Mr. WardThe clearance of an emergency one-way channel through the whole length of the canal envisaged in Stage I of the operation can be achieved in about seven weeks if all resources are employed. The completion of Stage I should enable 70 per cent. of the normal traffic to get through. If Admiralty ships and crews are not allowed to help twice this time would probably be needed. Estimates between these extremes depend on the number of our ships employed. Stage II of the operation involves the removal of the remaining wrecks to provide complete freedom of navigation. This cannot be estimated until detailed surveys are available of the obstructions throughout the Canal.