§ THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has received a Memorial of the 11th instant from the Belfast Harbour Commissioners; whether, as stated in the Memorial, the War Department, in 1885, applied to the Commissioners for ground for a submarine mining establishment, and, the Commissioners agreeing to grant a site for the same on lease at a nominal rent, a lease was drawn up accordingly; whether, in consequence of an intimation in April, 1887, that the War Department had decided to use a ship as a joint barrack and submarine mining store, a deputation of the Commissioners waited on the Secretary of State for War, and were informed by him that he considered a land establishment preferable to a vessel, and that provision had been made in the Estimates for the cost of the land establishment; and, whether, in view of the representation made in the Memorial that it would be impossible, owing to the demand for space for commercial purposes in the port of Belfast, to provide a quay berth for the vessel except at very heavy expense, the agreement made by the Department with the Memorialists will be carried into effect?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)I have received the Memorial referred to. The history of the case is, I believe, shortly as follows:—When it was de- 1745 cided to have a submarine mining establishment for the defence of Belfast Harbour, inquiries were made as to a site, and the Commissioners suggested certain sites which they were willing to lease to the War Department at a nominal rent. On examination, however, those sites were not found suitable for the purpose, and no agreement for a lease was come to. Under the circumstances, it has been decided that, for the present, a ship will be the most convenient depôt; but she will not require accommodation in the more valuable water frontage used for commercial purposes. I have been in communication with my hon. Friends the Members for Mid Armagh (Sir James Corry) and North Belfast (Sir William Ewart) on this subject for a long time past. But I never made to them, or to the deputation from the Commissioners, any such statement as that recorded in the Question.
§ MR. SEXTONI beg to give Notice that on the proper Estimate I shall endeavour to show cause why the original understanding should be, carried out, and that I shall oppose the grant of public money for the establishment of a ship.