§ SIR JOHN HAYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, in reference to a notice in the Gazette of Friday the 27th ultimo, suspending payment of certain Naval Prize Money which has been due since 1857, and which has been recently advertised to be distributed, What is the cause of this further delay, and whether it is not due to the want of proper agents to take charge of the interest of the Captors?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, in reply, that there had been no delay on the part of the Admiralty in the distribution of the Prize Money in question. 1066 The Prize Money was delivered to the Admiralty for distribution on the 9th of December, and the Admiralty gave an order on February 19th for the distribution. In the interval, the Officers of the Niger claimed a share in the Prize Money. The matter now awaited the decision of the Court of Admiralty, and the Admiralty had suspended the distribution until the Court determined whether the claim of the Officers of the Niger was valid or not. The captors had agents in London, and likewise local agents on the spot to watch their interests.