§ MR. LAIRDsaid, he would now beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he has any objection to lay upon the table Copies of any Reports made by Captain Sherard Osborn, R.N., on the various trials of the Royal Sovereign during the time she was in Commission; and of any Reports from the Shipwright or Engineering Departments at Portsmouth Dockyard as to the condition of the ship and turrets after the trials above referred to had taken place?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, in reply, that the Admiralty had no desire whatever to conceal any information as to the results of the trials of the turret system on board the Royal Sovereign; and during the discussion of the Navy Estimates he should be extremely glad to furnish the House with the substance of all that the Department knew about those trials, of which, happily, what they did know was favourable. But the system of laying upon the table of the House Reports from officers addressed to particular Departments was most objectionable, and he must, therefore, decline to produce the documents asked for.