§ SIR ROBERT H. INGLISsaid, that in the absence of the First Lord of the Admiralty, he wished to ask a question of the hon. and gallant Admiral near him (Admiral Berkeley). A few years ago Lieutenant Maury, of the American navy, devised a plan for effecting great improvements in navigation. He prepared certain charts, and distributed them to every merchant vessel as well as every ship of war in the United States service. The result of the experiments and observations made by these vessels, had been a great and manifest improvement in the art of navigation, so much so that one voyage which formerly occupied forty-one days, was now performed in twenty-one days; while a voyage to California, which formerly took one hundred and eighty days from New York, was now done in one hundred days. The plan had been adopted by the American Government, and they had suggested that it should be adopted by the Governments of the other maritime States. He, therefore, wished to ask the hon. and gallant Admiral whether Her Majesty's Government, having referred this plan to the Royal Society, and having received from the Royal Society, through its council, a strong recommendation in favour of its adoption, and having been made acquainted that the 146 British Association had almost simultaneously recommended it, were prepared to state that they would adopt the suggestion of the United States Government as to the plan of Lieutenant Maury?
ADMIRAL BERKELEYsaid, that Her Majesty's Government were prepared to enter into, and to take their part in, any well-digested plan for effecting the object in view. With regard to the Royal Navy, most of the observations required, such as related to currents, wind, tides, depth of water, and temperature, were already called for from the commanders of Her Majesty's ships by the Admiralty. But with regard to the mercantile marine, there was very great doubt, as well as very great difficulty, how the object was to be attained. When he stated that in thermometers alone, if they were supplied to the mercantile marine, the cost would amount to 3,500l., and that there were fears whether they would be much used, he thought it would be seen that there was much difficulty as regarded this part of the question.