MR. SOMERSET BEAUMONTsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Board of Admiralty intend taking any steps with regard to Mr. George Gill's Patent for Improvements in Ships of War, either by suppressing the Patent, or in any other way; whether the Board intend testing his plans for accelerating the speed and diminishing the vibration of ships, which have lately been communicated to the Admiralty?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, that Mr. Gill sent to the Admiralty some time ago a proposal for the improvement of steam ships of war, which was examined by professional officers and pronounced by them not calculated to benefit the public service. He afterwards had an interview with Mr. Gill, by that gentleman's request, at the Admiralty, and having received his explanations of his plans, in the presence of the Comptroller of the Navy and other officers of his department, it was not thought that their adoption would be expedient. It was not, therefore, the intention of the Admiralty to take any steps either for the suppression of Mr. Gill's Patent, or for having it tested.