Mr. Jamessaid, before the House adjourned, he wished to present a petition from certain manufacturers of iron, who had recently discovered an improved method of making Chain Cables. He wished to state to the right hon. Gentleman at the head of the Admiralty, that the petitioners complained that they had made application to the Navy Board, and no attention had been paid to their suggestions. He (Mr. James) was given to understand, for some reason or other which he could not divine, that the Navy Board refused to use the best sort of material for the cables of the Royal Navy. The petitioners further declared, that the test used to try the cables was of too little weight; they were only tested to bear a strain of eighteen tons, whereas, if they were made of the best iron, they were equal to bear twenty-four tons. The subject appeared to him to deserve the utmost attention.
Sir James Grahamsaid, he hoped his hon. friend remembered the petitioners were also constituents of his, and therefore he was anxious, of course, that every attention should be paid to their supposed improvements. So far from the subject being neglected, however, he could assure his hon. friend, that the Navy Board had directed one of their surveyors to visit all the iron foundries in the kingdom, and more especially at Fishguard, with reference expressly to the construction of cables, and after all the evidence they were able to obtain, the Navy Board came to the conclusion, that it was not expedient to recommend the introduction of strap iron cables into the Navy. He had been given to understand, that there was not a single instance of a chain cable, such as were at present used, having failed, although some of them had been in use for upwards of three years; he had therefore come to the conclusion, from all the information he had been able to obtain on the subject, that the recommendation of the Navy Board was wise and proper, and that it ought to be followed.
§ The Petition was read.
Mr. Jamessaid, that notwithstanding what had been said by the right hon. Gentleman, he was still of opinion these cables ought to be introduced into the public service. A very strong argument in their favour was, that they were daily demanded for the use of private vessels. They were equally strong with others and had the advantage of being much lighter.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.