HC Deb 05 February 1864 vol 173 cc171-2
MR. RICHARD HODGSON

said, he had given notice yesterday of his intention to ask the Secretary of the Admiralty a Question relative to the wreck of Her Majesty's gunboat Lively. He would ask the Question now with the hope of receiving such an answer as would remove what he trusted was a misconception that prevailed on the subject in the neighbourhood of Berwick. On the 22nd December last the gunboat referred to received orders to go to sea for the purpose of searching for some missing coasting vessels in the North Sea. On the 25th of the same month she was wrecked upon the coast of Holland, It was now alleged that she had not been built for sea service—that she was not fitted to take the sea in stormy weather—that she was built for shallow seas and estuaries such as she was generally employed in, at or about the port of Berwick. It was also alleged that in a short time after she had sailed for the North Sea, and within about two or three hours after the first order had been sent, a second order was received by telegram from the Admiralty countermanding the previous order, and stating that the Lively was not to be sent to sea. He wished to ask the noble Lord, the Secretary of the Admiralty, Whether that was really the case; whether the original order of the Admiralty for the gunboat to go to sea had been countermanded by telegram; and, also, whether the Lively was in such a condition as to be unfit for sea service?

LORD CLARENCE PAGET

It is perfectly true that towards the end of December the gunboats Lively, the Medusa, and another gunboat, upon the solicitation of the mayor and authorities of Berwick, and on behalf of the owners of thirteen fishing smacks that were missing, were dispatched to the North Sea in search of those vessels, and if possible to ascertain their and their crews' fate. It is true that the Lively is one of the smallest class of gunboats, and we should have been glad if we had had a larger class of vessels to dispatch on an occasion so urgent: but we were obliged to have recourse to such means as we had at command at the moment. The Admiralty dispatched one good sized paddle steam-vessel, the Medusa, upon this expedition along with the two others. I know of no telegram having been sent by the Admiralty to recall the Lively. I will, however, inquire further upon that point, as I only heard this day of this part of the hon. Member's Question. It is true that these gunboats are generally small vessels with small engines, but nevertheless a great many of them have gone to China and round the world. It, therefore, cannot be said that they are unfit to go to the North Sea. Every one knows what a fearful gale the Lively and the other gunboats had fallen into. I cannot speak of the loss of the Lively without bearing "testimony to the extreme courage and gallantry of her officers and crew, and to the admirable manner in which they managed the vessel up to the moment when she was wrecked.