Lord Crewe said that it would have been preferable to defer thie debate at the moment. He hoped that the time was not far dis-ant when the Government would be able to describe ite policy simultancoualy in both Houses of Parliament. There was no urgency, however, as our existing position was secure throughout the world.
After comparing the strength of the British and European fleets, he added that the figures for 1914 and 1916 would tell a somewhat different story which might necessitate @ revision of old plans or at least, of the formation on which we relied for predominance. The Government would carefully consider the question of our garrisons in Malta and Gibraltar in relation to the whole subject. It recognized most fully the importance of our position, our interests and obligations in the Mediterranean, and its duty to inform Parliament of the results of the recent inquiries made with regard to the subject.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.