§ SIR BENJAMIN HALLSir, when I stated that I would bring under the consideration of the House certain Parliamentary papers connected with the appointments in the dockyards, the hon. Gentleman the late Secretary for the Admiralty (Mr. Stafford) requested that I would give him an early intimation of what my notice would be. I am prepared to give that intimation at the present time; but in consequence of a communication which I have had with the hon. Gentleman, I will give that intimation to-morrow instead of on this evening. I have now to ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty some questions in reference to the subject, namely, whether there is any Minute of the Board of Admiralty cancelling the Order of the 26th of September, 1849, and authorising the Secretary of the Admiralty to issue a Circular directing that all reports and correspondence on the 727 subject of vacancies, promotions, and appointments shall be sent to the Admiralty, and not to the Surveyor of the Navy, as had been previously directed by the Order of the 26th September, 1849? Also whether in records of the office there is any copy of a letter from Sir Baldwin Walker, which appears by the Parliamentary papers to have been written to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, then First Lord of the Admiralty, on the subject of promotions and appointments in the dockyards, or any copy of the reply of the Duke of Northumberland thereto, dated the 10th of May, 1852? Also whether there is any Minute appointing Mr. Wells master smith in the dockyard at Portsmouth; and if there be any papers of this kind, will the right hon. Gentleman have any objection to lay them on the table of the House, and also any letter of recommendation from Sir Baldwin Walker on the same subject?
§ SIR JAMES GRAHAMSir, I have to thank the hon. Baronet for giving me notice of the questions he was about to ask me. With respect to the first question, whether there is any Minute of the Board of Admiralty cancelling the Order of the 26th September, 1849, which authorises the Secretary of the Admiralty to issue a Circular directing that all reports and correspondence on the subject of vacancies, promotions, or changes of the officers and workmen of the dockyards shall be sent to the Admiralty, and not to the Surveyor of the Navy as had been previously directed, I have made inquiry on the subject, and I have to inform the hon. Baronet that there is no such Minute at all upon the record. With regard to the second question, whether on the records of the Admiralty Office there is any copy of a letter from Sir Baldwin Walker, or any copy of a letter from the Duke of Northumberland in answer to such letter from Sir Baldwin Walker, dated 10th May, 1852, on the subject of promotions and appointments of officers in the dockyards, I have to state that there is no record of that letter in existence. But I must observe that a letter addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty is not in the same position as a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty. The Secretary places every communication he receives on record; but it is in the discretion of the First Lord of the Admiralty to say what letters addressed to himself may be put on record. The next question is whether there is any Minute appointing Mr. Wells master smith of 728 the dockyard at Portsmouth, on probation, or any letter from Sir Baldwin Walker recommending the appointment of Mr. Wells to that office? In answer to the first part of the question, I have to state that there is no original Minute appointing Mr. Wells master smith on probation at Portsmouth. There is a copy of the Surveyor's recommendation, dated 9th September, 1852. The original appointment, as approved by Admiral Parker, is not to be found, but there is a copy of it, authenticated by his signature, in existence. The original letter, dated the following day, is on record, signed by the Secretary of the Admiralty, and there is no objection to produce that letter on the part of the Admiralty.