§ LORD ALFRED CHURCHILLsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Government has received any communication with respect to the Australian Coal; and, if so, whether it will order that Her Majesty's Ships in those waters shall make trial of it; and, if any slight alterations are requisite in the machinery to adapt it better for the use of this Coal, whether the Admiralty will direct these to be made in Steam Ships now on the Australian Station?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGEThad to state in reply, that the Admiralty had lately received a Report from the Colonial Office as to the merits of Australian Coal, and he should be extremely glad if that coal could be made available for Her Majesty's Ships on the Australian Station, He was sorry to say, however, that the Report was not very satisfactory, for it had been found that this coal had the effect of choking up the flues of the boilers, and the Officers were not particularly partial to it; but he was not without hope that this coal might be rendered useful to vessels while in the Australian waters. As to altering the boilers of vessels so as to adapt them for the better consumption of this coal, no particular objection could be urged; but it would not do to make any such alterations as to render the vessels inefficient on any other station.