§ MR. LAIRDsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is correct that the Transport Board of the Admiralty have decided to withdraw the Advertisement, dated the 19th January last, notifying that they would accept the Private Proof Certificates of Messrs. Brown, Lennox, and Co., for Chain Cables and Anchors for Vessels hired by the Transport Board, and that in future they intend not to hire any Vessels the Chain Cables and Anchors of which are not proved at a public testing machine; and if this will be notified by public advertisement?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGET, in reply, said, the Admiralty had decided to withdraw the advertisement notifying that they would accept the private proof certificates of Messrs. Brown, Lennox, and Co., and that in future they did not intend to hire any vessels the chains, cables, and anchors of which had not been proved at a public testing machine, and that the same would he notified by advertisement. At the same time, he was bound to state, with reference to Messrs. Brown, Lennox, and Co., that the change had not been made on account of any dissatisfaction with regard to their chains and anchors, but in order that they might be put on the same footing with other makers.