MR. H. EDWARDSsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether, in view of the great economy in time and cost which would be effected in the shipment of Coal at Portland, by availing of the direct Railway communication with the Coal districts of South Wales, it would not be desirable to provide forthwith the necessary facilities at Portland for coaling Her Majesty's Ships, in lieu of the more expensive and tedious mode of supplying through depôts?
§ MR. DU CANE, in reply, said, he gave an answer to this Question a few evenings since, when the last Vote for the Navy Estimates was under discussion. He then stated that the coaling arrangements by means of pontoons at Portland were merely temporary. If the hon. Gentleman would look to the Navy Estimates he would find in Vote 11 that £30,000 was taken for the coaling arrangements at Portland, £2,000 of which had been taken this year for the commencement of the works. The Admiralty were endeavouring to enter into arrangements with the Great Western and South Western Railways, by which it was hoped that by the aid of those systems the South Wales collieries would be brought into direct communication with the inner line of breakwater at Portland. The subject was one that had attracted the attention of the Admiralty, and the proposed new means of communication would be carried out with as little delay as possible.