the House of Commons as a one-time contribution to Britain's navy. The bill was short, only five sections long. It authorised the Canadian government to spend up to $35,000,000 for "the construction and equipment of battleships or armoured cruisers of the most modern and powerful type". Once completed, Canada would place them at the disposal of the King, "for the common defence of the Empire", on terms to be concluded between the Government of Canada and the British Government. The debate on the bill in the House of Commons was long and bitter, often extending late into the night, and lasting for twenty-three weeks. The debate on second reading occupied ten days, from February 18 to 28, 1913. The Conservative government had a strong majority in the Commons, and passed the bill at second reading, by a vote of 114 to 84. The vote was held at close to 2 o'clock in the morning on February 28, 1913. The bill then progressed to the committee stage, which was in the Committee of the Whole. That format meant that every member of the House of Commons could speak repeatedly on the bill, and the opposition Liberals implemented a long filibuster. The committee stage began on February 28, 1913, and continued into May. On May 9, 1913, Prime Minister Borden moved closure on the debate, under a new rule of the House of Commons. It was the first time that closure had ever been invoked in the House of Commons. The bill passed the committee stage at 1 o'clock in the morning on May 10, 2013. It then went to third reading, and was passed by the House of Commons on May 15, 1913, by a vote of 101 to 68. Senate The bill then moved to the Senate. The Senate of Canada is an appointed body, not elected. Since Laurier had been in power from 1896 until 1911, his government had held the appointing power for fifteen years, and there was a strong Liberal majority in the Senate. On May 20, 1913, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, James Lougheed, introduced the bill on first reading. On May 20, 1913, the bill came on for second reading. Senator Lougheed gave a lengthy speech, repeating the main arguments which the government members had advanced in the House of Commons. The Opposition Leader in the Senate, George William Ross, then spoke,