Pleasure boat

THE leak on the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is irrelevant to the vessel’s future.

No, 200 litres per hour is not a problem. That’s only 44 gallons per hour — I’ve bailed more out of a rowing boat.

More importantly, the vessel was designed 20 years ago and is clearly not fit for modern warfare, with its ancient computers running an elderly version of Windows.

The aircraft, which will not arrive for several years, will also be built to antiquated designs.

Far better to repurpose the ship as a replacement Royal Yacht. With impending Brexit, this would mean Royal visits could promote British trade and diplomacy throughout the world as Britannia once did so successfully.

It would certainly give the new generation of Royals something to do that would be perceived as useful even by the most ardent Republican.

The vessel is large enough to throw garden parties on deck or use as a base for overseas sales displays of UK-manufactured military equipment — even if we can no longer afford to purchase such kit for our own Armed Forces. JOHN EOIN DOUGLAS,

Edinburgh.