§ MR. NORWOODsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, The decision arrived at by the Board as to appropriating to the use of the authorities of the Dreadnought Hospital ship Queen Anne's quarter, or the infirmary of Greenwich Hospital; and, if a decision be not yet arrived at thereon, when the Committee of the Dreadnought Hospital may expect to receive it?
LORD HENRY LENNOXsaid, that the state of the case was this—The Admiralty had appointed an inquiry, consisting of the medical officers named by the Privy Council, to examine into the relative merits of the quarters of Queen Anne or Queen Mary, for the purposes of the Dreadnought Hospital. They reported that neither was suitable, nor could be made so without great expense, but that they were unanimous in the opinion that Queen Mary's quarter was preferable to Queen Anne's for such purposes. The Committee of the Dreadnought were not satisfied with that Report, and the Admiralty appointed a conference, composed of men whose decision was likely to be conclusive on the matter. Sir Peter Richards and Sir Charles Trevelyan were applied to, but they declined to act on the conference in consequence of having other business to attend to. At the request of the Committee of the Dreadnought Dr. Tatum was appointed; and the second Committee also reported that Queen Mary's quarter was preferable to Queen Anne's. Accordingly the Board of Admiralty were not prepared to give Queen Anne's quarter to the Committee of the Dreadnought; but having regard to the great usefulness of the institution presided over by that Committee, they were quite willing to abide by the offer they made some time ago—namely, to give that quarter which both sets of medical men reported to be the better adapted for a hospital.
§ In answer to Mr. NORWOOD,
LORD HENRY LENNOXsaid, that the propriety of appropriating the Infirmary in Greenwich Hospital to the purpose had never been brought before the Admiralty or mooted except in the speech of an hon. Gentleman in that House. The 1613 Infirmary is appropriated to the use of the old pensioners now in Greenwich Hospital.