§ SIR CHARLES NAPIERsaid, he would beg to inquire of the First Lord of the Admiralty when the Report of the Commission for Manning the Navy, with the evidence taken before the Commissioners, will be laid on the table of the House; and also when the Return of Deserters, moved for last Session, will be laid on the table of the House?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, that in answer to the first part of the hon. and gallant Admiral's question, he could inform him that the Royal Commissioners on the question of the best means of manning the Navy were now considering their Report, and he had every reason to believe that he should receive it in a week or ten days, when he should at once lay it on the table of the House. He could only hope, with respect to the latter portion of the question, that it would be borne in mind on both sides of the House that returns of this character took a great deal of time and labour. The return of deserters could not be prepared in less than two mouths from this time at the earliest. Six clerks had been employed on this one ever since last August, and it would probably cost the country not less than £500. Perhaps he ought to blame himself for granting it, and certainly had he been aware of the expense and labour it entailed he should not have done so. He hoped the hon. Member, on future occasions, would abstain, as far as possible, from moving for returns of this nature, which involved an enormous expense, without being of a commensurate value or utility.