§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNE (Staffordshire, Lichfield)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will take the necessary steps to ensure the Report on the navigability of the Zambesi River being presented to Parliament before the middle of next August.
§ *THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingAs the surveying vessel, the Stork, which has been directed to make an mination of the mouth of the Zambesi, recently reported to afford a good entrance into the river, cannot be on the ground until the end of July, it will be impossible for any report to reach England at the time mentioned in the hon. Baronet's question. Moreover, the Stork will only be able to survey the bar of the river. Any survey inland as to the navigability of the Zambesi could only be undertaken by a vessel specially equipped for the purpose.
§ SIR J. SWINBURNECould not the Admiralty send orders by telegraph? The amount of water on the bar is the principal thing we want to know.
§ LORD G. HAMILTONI have already said that the Surveyor has been directed to inspect the mouth of the Zambesi on his way back to Zanzibar.
§ DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)May I ask the noble Lord whether, considering the critical position of missionaries at Nyassaland, whose lives so much depend on the navigability of the Zambesi, he cannot take steps to accelerate action in the matter of the survey?
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONThere is very little connection between the safety of missionaries and the navigability of the Zambesi. But everything possible is being done to expedite the survey, especially of the bar. It is very doubtful whether the reports which have reached this country concerning the supposed channel are accurate.