SIR JAMES BLPHINSTONEsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the opinion of Vice Admiral Fitzroy, President of the Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade, has been taken as to the winds and currents which prevail in the Mid-Atlantic in the months of July, August, and September; and, if so, whether he will lay that opinion upon the table of the House; he might say, in explanation, that Admiral Fitzroy presided over a Department which had the winds and currents particularly under their consideration;—and whether the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are aware that the facts set forth in Captain Maury's Trade Wind Chart for the month of August are in every respect opposed to the information given to the House by the noble 616 Lord the Secretary to the Admiralty, on the authority of the Hydrographer of the Navy?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETreplied, that the Admiralty had not consulted Admiral Fitzroy; they had consulted then-own Hydrographer. With regard to the latter part of the Question of the hon. Baronet, he had to state that the Admiralty regulations for the transport of the troops, so far from being in opposition to Captain Maury's views, were in exact accordance with them. Captain Maury's work gave the average passage of more than twenty sailing vessels for every month in the year for a distance of 820 miles on both sides of the line, and the result was that in the month of August, when the variable winds prevailed, the passage was made at the rate of 120 miles a day, and in March and November at the rate of 140. so that no great delay might be expected,
SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONBsaid, he wished to know, Whether the noble Lord will obtain the opinion of Admiral Fitzroy, and lay it upon the table?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETWe are quite satisfied with the opinion of our own Hydrographer.