§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONI beg, Sir, to ask my noble Friend the Secretary of the Admiralty, Whether it is true that the Channel fleet has been moved from Portland to the Downs; and, if not, whether they are under orders to proceed thither? I wish next to ask, whether the noble Lord is in a position to say that the ships constituting the Channel fleet have been completed with respect to their coals, provisions, and other stores? I also beg to ask the noble Lord whether the large iron ships of the Channel fleet have been into dock since their return from their winter cruise in the Atlantic?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETSir, the Channel squadron are in the Downs. They are very nearly complete, and they are perfectly ready to proceed to any part of the world at twenty-four hours' notice. The iron ships have not been docked since their winter cruise; but the Warrior was docked on the 12th of November, the Black Prince on the 22nd of October, the Prince Consort on the 11th of November, the Hector on the 12th of January, and the Defence on the 10th of October.