QUESTION. (Hansard, 18 June 1858)

§ MR. TITE
said, he would beg to ask the Secretary for War when the Reports of the Commissioners on the Hospital at Netley will be laid on the Table of the House, and whether any steps have been taken to suspend the works or any part thereof? A Commission, of which the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Wiltshire (Mr. S. Herbert) was at the head, reported against the site of this hospital, but the gallant Officer opposite refused to act 57 upon it till he had made further inquiries. He wished to know when the result of those inquiries would be laid before the House. For his own part, he was well acquainted with the neighbourhood of the hospital, and he believed the site was unobjectionable; but he believed the construction of the building was faulty, and he would urge upon the right hon. and gallant Member not to spend more money on the buildings till those faults were removed; and further, he would advise him to trust no more to Commissions or Committees, but to take the advice of a competent architect on the subject.

SIR F. SMITH
said, he had known the site of Netley Hospital for many years, and he was convinced that it was most salubrious. He also thought that with regard to the construction of the hospital, it contained no faults which might not be easily repaired. There were two systems on which hospitals were constructed—one was the block system, which was advocated by the French, the other was the continuous system which was in use among ourselves. As the block system was adopted at Aldershot they would have an opportunity of testing the merits of both; his own experience led him to prefer the continuous building system as best, both for the medical officers and the men.

GENERAL PEEL
said, he had repeatedly urged the presentation of the Reports referred to, and he hoped that in ten days or a fortnight he should be able to lay them upon the table of the House. He believed that the scientific and medicial men who were sent down to Netley had reported in favour of the site. As, however, alterations might be proposed in the construction, directions had been given to the officers in charge of the works to arrange with the contractors not to proceed with those portions which might hereafter require alteration, but at the same time to do nothing which would vitiate the contract.