§ Mr. Humerose to present a petition connected with the charges for the navy. The petitioner was 167 a gentleman of the name of Burridge, who had lately written upon the subject of "Dry Rot;" and the petition stated very extensive injury accruing of late years from that disease to our shipping; insomuch, that nearly one-half the vessels in the navy were more or less visited by it; and several ships, the Lord Nelson, the Lord Howe, the Queen Charlotte, and others, had lately, upon a survey, been found to be entirely destroyed. The petitioner added, that it would appear, upon calculation, that, owing to this disease, the number of sea-worthy ships which at present composed our navy, was smaller than that which we had maintained in the year 1793; and prayed that the board of admiralty would take means to repress the evil. He (Mr. Hume) was desirous to know what the admiralty was prepared to do in this matter, which seemed to him to be one of the very highest importance. It was quite certain, that the English oak had not been used formerly to decay, as it did now. As for the coal tar, which had been supposed a remedy, he understood that it did nothing but mischief; it injured the health of the men, and did no good to the timber. He was informed that ships built in America, from wood foiled at the season when the sap was not in the tree, were not subject to dry rot; or at least, not in the same degree with those built by us, from wood felled when the sap was in it. Whatever might be the merits of the petition, he thought there could be no doubt that the subject was one which demanded the fullest attention and discussion.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he would put it to the hon. member, whether this was a convenient moment for presenting such a petition.
§ Mr. Humesaid, he had no wish whatever to interfere with other business; and would therefore present the petition upon another occasion.