asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his Department, in placing contracts for vessels, still insists that a captain's gig of considerable value is ordered for every vessel; whether in war-time these gigs cannot be taken on board and storage ashore for them at some expense and trouble has to be found; and will he see that contracts made by his Department are made on a war and not a peace basis, so as to conserve the finances of the State?

The supply of a boat for the personal use of the captain is most desirable for obvious reasons, but the captain's gig is not a personal boat only, being part of the life-saving equipment of the ship. The question of the number of boats to be carried on board under war conditions has, I can assure my hon. and learned Friend, been very carefully considered.

Does the Department place its contracts as on a war basis, and not as under a peace system?

Certainly.