§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNEI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, with the exception of the cost 335 of the plans and designs, any money had been spent upon the Somerset Dock at Malta before the correspondence and plans relating thereto were presented to Parliament; and, if not, whether he will follow this precedent, and give the House, in the case of the proposed Graving Dock at Gibraltar, an assurance that no money will be spent upon it until the Papers and plans relating to it have been placed in the Library, or have been laid upon the Table of the House?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONMy answer to the first question is in the negative. In reply to the second, I cannot give an assurance of the character the hon. Gentleman requires, though I should not propose to commence the works without the assent of Parliament.