HC Deb 20 February 1852 vol 119 cc830-5
MR. ROEBUCK

said, that, seeing the First Lord of the Admiralty in his place, he begged to ask him a question relative to a steam vessel—the Megœra, which was some time since despatched to the Capo of Good Hope with 800 British soldiers on board. It was necessary, however, that he should preface his question by making certain statements to the House, and asking the right hon. Gentleman whether or not those statements were correct; and, if they were not correct, to be kind enough to furnish a true version of the circumstances to the House. Some time after the steamer left, a letter appeared in the Times newspaper written by a clergyman of the name of Buller, who stated that he had been on board the vessel—that she was in a state of the most dire confusion— that no preparations appeared to have been made for the accommodation of either officers or soldiers—and that any one who had seen that vessel must be convinced that before she reached the end of her voyage some very serious disaster must befall her. A few days afterwards that vessel was driven by stress of weather into Plymouth. She met with a severe gale in going down Channel; and last Tuesday another letter appeared in the same newspaper signed by a person of the name of Hanway, which contained a statement to this effect: First, that the ordinary period for performing the voyage from Plymouth to Madeira was sixteen days by a sailing vessel, and that by a steam vessel the ordinary passage was seven days; but that on account of Her Majesty's steam ship the Megœra having on board only coal enough for six days' consumption when she left, the voyage from Plymouth to Madeira occupied her seventeen days, or ten days more than it ought to have done. The charge made against the persons who had the management of this service was, that the vessel was sent away totally unprepared for such a voyage, with that precious cargo of 800 lives on board; and that she was supplied with only six days' coals, though her destination was the Cape of Good Hope; and it was stated also that she was twice on fire after starting from Plymouth, and before her arrival at Madeira. He wished to know if these statements were correct or not; and, if they were, how the right hon. Baronet accounted for it that the Megœra had no coals after the seventh day, and how it was that she had taken seventeen days on her passage to Madeira?

SIR FRANCIS BARING

would he happy to state the facts as fully as possible for the information of the hon. and learned Gentleman and the House. With regard to the case of the Megœra, he might state that she was built in a private yard, and that her engines were, as usual, made by a private manufacturer; but in consequence of her being constructed of iron, it was thought most advisable to fit her out for the conveyance of troops, and he could give every assurance that the greatest care was taken in fitting her out for that purpose. Twice the Board of Admiralty themselves inspected the Megœra, and the naval officers of the Board spoke in the strongest terms of her capabilities as a troop-ship, both before and after she was fitted out. It was after communication with those officers, who were the most experienced on the subject of the conveyance of troops, and according to their suggestions, that she had been fitted; but it was quite unnecessary that he should enumerate all the little alterations which were effected, or the small conveniences with which she was supplied, and which had never before had an existence in a troopship. He might mention, however, that there was a gallery constructed for the purpose of enabling the soldiers to cook their food, in addition to the cooking place which was used by the crew. There was also a washing-place for the troops, altogether separate and distinct from that of the crew. And, as regarded the accommodation for the officers, their cabins were furnished; they were allowed a steward to look after them; and crockery ware, glass, and plated articles were supplied to them, and that had never been done before. Probably it might be satisfactory to the House to be informed that the Simoom, though a somewhat larger vessel, was fitted exactly in the same manner as the Megœra. In order to obviate any further complaints, the Board had asked the Horse Guards to appoint an officer to inspect the Simoom, and to make such suggestions of improvements with regard to the carriage of troops as might seem to him to be necessary. That officer, in company with one of the officers of the Admiralty, of great experience, inspected the Simoom; but he made no suggestions of importance for improving the arrangements. According to the arrangement made in 1844, the Megœra was capable of carrying more troops than she did carry. But in order that no inconvenience might be felt, his gallant Friend, under whose superintendence this particular department of the service was placed, communicated to the Horse Guards that, if they preferred it, he would send out 100 men of the regiment by another vessel. The Horse Guards then communicated with Colonel Buller, the commander of the regiment, who earnestly pressed that the troops should not be separated, but that the whole regiment should be sent out in the Megœra. Colonel Buller looked at the matter in the spirit of a soldier. He thought that the separation of his troops would not conduce to their discipline when they arrived at the Cape, and were engaged in actual service; he preferred, therefore, that they should go together. And he (Sir P. Baring) asked the House what would have been thought of the Admiralty if, after these grounds had been stated to them, they had insisted that the troops should be separated, in opposition to the opinion of the officer in command of the regiment, and of the Horse Guards, both of whom preferred that the troops should be conveyed in one vessel? It had been stated that the ship was lumbered with Ordnance stores, and it was quite true that Ordnance stores were on board her. The Admiralty having received a request from the Horse Guards that certain Ordnance stores which were necessary for the regiment should be conveyed in the Megœra, those stores were put on board accordingly. They consisted of the tents requisite for the accommodation of the troops in the event of their being called into the field, and the ammunition required for the rifles which they carried. That very day he (Sir F. Baring) had gone over the list of these Ordnance stores with the Adjutant General, at the Horse Guards, and that gentleman informed him that there was not an article in the list which it was not absolutely necessary the troops should have with them. How great would have been the clamour, and how severe the attacks upon the Admiralty, had they sent out a regiment for this service, and refused to convey the tents, stores, and ammunition it required. It had been stated that the coals on board the Meœwra were sufficient only for six days' consumption. But the Meœwra was a screw vessel: she had therefore all the advantage of sailing and steaming, and her coals were a ten days' supply at full steam, and twenty days' supply working with sails. Consequently he could not agree to the statement that she had only six days' coals on board. He did not know what quantity she might have consumed between Dover and Plymouth, at the latter of which places she re-coaled. He could not tell to within a ton either what quantity she had then on board; but he had every reason to believe that she left Plymouth fully coaled. It was quite true that on her passage between Dover and Plymouth she met a very heavy gale, and it was from that circumstance she had very properly put into Plymouth. But he had received a report from Devonport with regard to the defects of the Meœwra, and the observations of the practical officers who made it were, that, strained as she must have been by being forced against a heavy gale for so long a time, they were surprised that her defects wore so small; and that, so far from being detained there on her passage, the defects were all made good without difficulty, and she proceeded on her voyage almost as soon as the attacks appeared in the newspapers alleging that she had broken down. It was true, also, that her passage from Plymouth to Madeira was a long one; but of course he (Sir P. Baring) could not command the winds and the waves. He had a letter then in his hands which was written by the master of the Birkenhead, who could not have been aware when he wrote it of the various statements which had gone forth to the public, and in which he gave an account of his voyage in that ship. He said that for six days he met a hurricane such as he had rarely witnessed before; that afterwards there was a heavy swell against her; and he then stated that for eight days the blue-jackets and the soldiers in the Birkenhead were wet to the skin. He was very sorry for these misfortunes; but if on any emergency troops were sent on a public service, it was not to be expected that he could guarantee that they should not encounter a hurricane, or be opposed by a gale. Still he had no reason to suppose that the troops in the Meœwra were subjected to greater inconveniences than were usually experienced by other vessels in the same circumstances; and deeply as he might regret any inconveniences that the soldiers might suffer, it must still be recollected that these were hardships which the sister service were exposed to almost every day of their lives. The only portion of the hon. and learned Member's statement which now remained for him to reply to was the circumstance of the ship being twice on fire. It was perfectly true that, owing to the working of the ship, the fire clay was removed from a part of the funnel, and that the felt got ignited in consequence. But hon. Gentlemen must not suppose that that meant that the ship was on fire. The felt got heated, but there was no flame. And the account he had received was, that it was put out without the slightest difficulty in a short time, and that the repairs were easily effected. He did not know if any further information was required. But, in conclusion, he begged to say, that he was most anxious on the part of the Admiralty to state for the satisfaction of the House, and the naval service in general, that every accommodation and every attention was paid to the troops which were sent out on board ship.

Mr. ROEBUCK

said, he had been informed that the rifles of which the right hon. Gentleman spoke as having been sent in the Megœra, were sent without any ammunition, and that that error was not discovered until the ship came into Plymouth. He would ask the right hon. Gentleman if that statement was true, on Monday next.

MR. FITZROY

wished to know if any improvements had been effected, or were contemplated, with reference to the method of coaling the Royal steamers?

SIR F. BARING

Some had been introduced, and others were under consideration, but as yet he could not state what were the results.