§ MR. CHARLES PALMERasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is correct, as reported, that £60,000 has recently been expended at one of Her Majesty's dockyards in refitting the transport "Orontes;" what was the original cost of this steamer; what amounts have since her construction been expended on her, with the dates, and in what dockyards; and, what were the estimates made previous to the expenditure of such sums?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANSir, I will endeavour, as briefly as I can, to answer the several points of my hon. Friend's Question. The Orontes was built by Messrs. Laird between 1861 and 1863; her original cost was, for hull, £83,834; for machinery, £27,328; and for rigging and stores, £12,955. Total—£124,117. Her first large refit was at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1868–9, when she was thoroughly repaired for four years' service, new boilers being put on board and a poop fitted. The estimate for this work was £30,225, and the actual expenditure £33,381. The next large repair of this vessel was between 1874 and 1876, when she was cut in two, lengthened 50 feet, fitted with new engines and boilers, and thoroughly repaired. It was originally intended to lengthen her only 30 feet, and only partially to repair her, and for this work tenders were invited. No one of the tenders was actually accepted; but communications were conducted with Messrs. Laird, who were among the firms tendering, and the result was that they contracted to lengthen the ship by 50 feet, and place new compound engines on board, for £66,500. Further extensive alterations and repairs were executed by the same firm, which brought up the total cost of the work performed bythemto£123,800. A sum of £16,313 was also spent on the ship at Portsmouth in the year 1875–6, of which £11,444 was for rigging and stores, and the rest for completing hull and machinery for sea. No other large repair has been undertaken until the one now nearly completed at Chatham. The estimate for this, for hull and machinery only, was £32,534, and the actual cost will probably be under £40,000, including value of stores, and also including a sum of £3,300 for electric lighting, neither of 770 which were provided for in the original estimates.
§ MR. CHARLES PALMERI should like to ask whether it is the practice to receive estimates?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANYes; from the contractors.
§ MR. CHARLES PALMERBut whether estimates are received from the Dockyards, and whether they are approved of by the Board of Admiralty before the work is sanctioned?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIn most cases, except those of urgency, that is so; but it is obvious that the estimate, when the ship is first opened up and looked into, may not cover the whole of the needful expenditure before the ship is completed?
§ MR. CHARLES PALMERthe answer to the Question discloses such a very unsatisfactory state of affairs in Her Majesty's Dockyards that I beg to give Notice that I shall, next Session, as it is too late this, move for a Select Committee to be appointed to investigate the subject.