Mr. Lee, who followed, vigorously condemned the Govern- ment for
failing to carry out the spirit of the undertaking given in March, and for their continued inaction. After Mr. John Ellis had moved a reduction of the vote from the Ministerial benches, Mr. Asquith reminded him and those who shared his views that the Government had tried hard for three years to come to some arrangement to restrict the " great, growing, and sterilising expenditure on armaments," but their efforts had been frustrated. Shipbuilding programmes could not be settled by sentiment. Answering the criticisms of Mr. Lee, Mr. Asquith maintained that completion, not commencement, was the important point, and stated that the additional ' Dreadnoughts' would be ordered without prejudice to next year's programme. Mr. Balfour, who followed, held that the Government had entirely failed to justify their delay. The fact that Germany by her Shipbuilding Vote was providing half-a-million more than the amount of ours was 'alone enough to condemn the Government. 'Ultimately the amendment was rejected by 280 votes to 98, the Irish and most of the Labour Party voting in the minority along with some forty Ministerialists.
