asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the desirability of raising the "Thetis," to ascertain, if possible, the cause of one of the torpedo bow-caps being open, and the difficulty of raising a vessel of over 1,000 tons dead weight by hawsers that, however carefully adjusted, are unlikely to take equal loads, he will consider taking steps to close the torpedo bow-cap of the "Thetis" and seal any other opening so as to allow the water to be pumped out as has been so often done in many successful salvage operations when ships of much greater displacement have been raised to the surface?

This method of salvage was fully considered but in view of the amount of diving required in strong tidal waters to seal the various tanks and compartments and the impossibility of getting all water out, it was not considered in this case to be practicable.

Would the hon. Gentleman assert that the so-called tidal waters in Liverpool Bay have more severe currents than there are in Scapa Flow? The German Fleet was raised in Scapa Flow, and surely the currents there are as bad as they are in Liverpool Bay.

The hon. Member's assertion is perfectly true, but we are talking now about salving a submarine, and not about the salvage of battleships.

But they are a damn sight heavier.