§ MR. HORSFALLsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Admiralty have enforced the penalties against the builders of the Warrior, Black Prince, Resistance, and Defence, amounting to £50,000 each for the Warrior and Black Prince, and £40,000 each for the Resistance and Defence, as stated in the Parliamentary Return ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 21st day of June, 1861; and, if they have not yet enforced these penalties, whether it is their intention to do so; and, whether the Admiralty have already given further orders for building iron-cased ships to any of the builders of the above-named vessels; and if they have not, whether it is their intention to do so until the contracts they have in hand are completed?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, in answer to the question of the hon. Member, he had to state that the penalties against the builders of the Warrior, the Black Prince, the Resistance, and the Defence, had not been enforced. The penalties had reference to two distinct things—the one being 697 time, and the other workmanship and material. With regard to time reasons existed why it was not thought advisable that the penalties should be imposed, especially on account of various alterations being necessary, and having by so much retarded the works. But with regard to workmanship and material it was still open to the Admiralty to inflict the whole or any part of the penalties if they should not turn out according to order. With regard to the second part of the question two builders who had already contracts had been employed to build other vessels. Their tenders were low, and the work they had done was satisfactorily performed.