asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps have been taken by the Government to prevent London or any of our big towns or naval dockyards from being bombarded at night from the air by the big airships of a foreign nation?

Although the Admiralty is taking an active interest in this question so far as the naval establishments are concerned, matters relating to passive defences are controlled by the War Office.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what amount of money is provided in the present Estimates for building large dirigibles equal in power and speed to the German "Zeppelin" type; and what amount of money is provided for the necessary sheds for housing them?

No money is provided in the present Estimates for building aircraft of the type referred to. Provision has been made in the Estimates for the building of sheds, which is the essential preliminary to the acquisition of such vessels, but it would not be in the public interest to name the amount.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that Germany has already got twelve big airships and is providing £900,000 for building more during the next twelve months?

The Admiralty is not unprovided with information on that subject.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that sheds only take a tithe of the time to build that airships take?

I should think that that observation is as inaccurate as several others I have heard the hon. Gentleman make on the subject.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the statement is not correct? He knows it is correct.

I shall be very glad to have a proposal for the construction of sheds in a tenth part of the time required to construct airships.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that Germany will have more ships of the "Dreadnought" type ready for immediate war in Home waters than we shall have next April, he can say how we are to be safeguarded against this peril to our security and freedom?

If the hon. Member will do me the honour of reading the speeches I have made on the Navy Estimates this year and last, he will see the absurdity of the hypothesis on which his question is based.

Did not the right hon. Gentleman himself tell us that we should only have twenty-five, that Germany would have twenty-one, and that as five of our ships are in the Mediterranean these would have to be taken off for our average moment, while none would have to be taken off for Germany's selected moment?

I said it was quite impossible to deal with these matters by question and answer. If the hon. Gentleman will read my speeches, he will see all I have to say on the subject. After that, he will form his own judgment.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that I did read his speeches, and, further, whether he learned arithmetic at school?

asked whether there is any officer aboard His Majesty's ships before whom statutory declarations under the Statutory Declarations Act of 1835 can be made; and, if so, what rank does such officer hold?

I am advised that so far as can be ascertained there is no officer ordinarily aboard His Majesty's ships who is authorised by law to take statutory declarations.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will undertake on behalf of the Government to provide the services of an actuary to consider any scheme for pensions drawn up by the hired workmen in His Majesty's dockyards free of charge to the men?

I received on Monday last a deputation of hired workmen from Chatham, Devonport, Portsmouth and Pembroke Yards in connection with a proposal which has been discussed by the hired men for some years past in favour of the establishment of some system of superannuation for these men, who, unlike the established men, are not eligible for pensions on retirement. The deputation placed before me various statements respecting the extent to which they thought that hired men would be able to contribute to such a scheme, which they realised must be self-supporting. I stated that I would consider whether, if the definite outlines of a scheme were submitted, the men could be assisted by an actuarial statement as to the feasibility of their proposal. That I will do. But as the provision of actuarial advice does not entirely rest with the Admiralty, I cannot at this juncture undertake to give a definite reply to the question of the hon. Gentleman.

asked what is the amount of the Government liability at the present time to hired workmen in His Majesty's dockyards in respect to gratuities?

The liability in respect of gratuities to hired workmen necessarily fluctuates from year to year according to the numbers of employés discharged. The estimated expenditure in the current financial year, 1913–14, is £13,500. I may add that during the ten years, 1902–3 to 1911–12, the sum of £169,864 was actually paid in gratuities.

asked what are the other Departments concerned in the question of the distribution of the prize money earned by the officers and men serving in His Majesty's ships in the operations for the prevention of gun-running in the Persian Gulf during the last few years, and when the correspondence is likely to be completed?

The other Departments concerned are the Treasury and India Office. It is hoped that a settlement of the amount of prize money to be given will be arrived at shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any settlement has yet been reached of the dispute with Portugal regarding the alleged unfairness of Customs charges on her wines as contrasted with the charges on French and Spanish wines when imported into this country; and, if not, will he urge some settlement, in view of the fact that British motor cars are being penalised on their export to Portugal?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The negotiations with Portugal are continuing, and His Majesty's Government are making every effort to bring them to a successful conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the United States of America was one of the Powers which agreed, at the time of the establishment of the present administration in China, to act in concert as to the recognition of the Republic there; if so, whether the United States of America has now withdrawn from that concert; whether it has formally recognised the Republic or proposes to do so shortly; and whether individual action will now be taken by this country in the way of recognition?

I can give no information as to the past or present intentions of the United States Government in regard to the recognition of the Chinese Republic, but as far as I am aware they have not yet recognised. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any contract price has been arranged for the dredging work at Lagos Harbour, Southern Nigeria; if so, what is that contract price; and will he say what official is responsible for the economical superintendence of that part of the work, has he any previous experience of similar undertakings, and is he at present on the spot looking after his duties?

The work is not done by contract, but is carried out by the Marine Department of the Colony. The superintendent of marine, who has considerable experience of dredging, superintends the operations generally, and acts in consultation with the resident engineer for the harbour works. Both these officers are at present in the Colony.