§ EARL TALBOTput the questions he had given notice of about the Perseverance steamer which upset herself in the dock, from the great top weight of her mast and yards. He would like to know who had ordered her to be so constructed. There were many instances he could cite of gross blundering and waste of money in the building and alteration of ships, which might have been obviated if a scientific board of reference had existed, or committee of dockyard officers, whose opinion could have been taken. He had heard that the Perseverance had now been resold to Messrs. Mare, from whom she was originally bought, at a sacrifice of 30,000l. or 40,000l. Was it true, also, that two other ships, of the same build, had been ordered by the Government?
§ EARL GRANVILLE, in his reply, which was not quite audible, said that the Perse- 1171 verance, of 1967 tons, was purchased in May, 1854, of Messrs. C. and J. Mare, for the price of 38,000l., and since then the Government had purchased the Urgent, for the sum of 41,000l., and the Sovereign, for 53,000l. They were now being fitted up as troop ships; and the first two had been launched, and the third was ready for launching. They had none of them been offered for sale, nor did the Government intend to sell them.