[To T11. EDITOI or SRL " BPLCIATOIL."3
81g.—You asked certain questions in your " leader " of the 15t inst.—which I have only just noticed—and venture to ;submit replies, as I am in a position to respond with some accuracy. First, the existing private shipbuilding companies have been for Months, and still are, yearning for additional men and materials, and in practically every suoh yard additional output could be attained given greater supplies of labour and material. It follows that the work and energies now being thrown into the national yard proposals might be better employed. It is also true that certain materials, especially steel, are being diverted to national yards which private yards are short of. Sir Eric Geddes stated quite clearly in the House that the national yards would not be used until private yards were working to their full capacity, and I have no doubt he means to enforce this policy. At the same time his staff may not have enabled him to realize how much material, at the very time he was speaking in the House, was aireado on order for the national yards, especially steel, which would have been more efficiently utilized if earmarked for private yards. As regards labour, the Government propose, it is understood, to utilise in national yards a class, such as German prisoners, quits different from that seed in private yards, which in theory appears sound, but in practice would have a very. doubtful efficiency, and also appears to overlook the essential bulwark of managers, foremen, overseers, &c., all of whom would need to be drawn from private yards—if any success witls the national shipbuilding is to be achieved.—I am, Sir, &c., R. D.
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