§ MR. LAIRDsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, If their Lordships have considered the suggestions contained in the following paragraph of the Report of the Select Committee on Dockyards, of 15th July, 1864, namely—
In recommending projects which will, if carried out, involve a large additional expenditure, your Committee do not think it beyond their duty to suggest that it is worthy of consideration whether Deptford, Woolwich, and Pembroke Dockyards might not be suppressed altogether, and disposed of, and the business now carried on in them transferred to the Yards to which such important and costly additions are in progress or in prospect. In all probability the money realized by the sale of these valuable sites would provide a considerable sum towards meeting the capital 1120 expenditure which must be incurred in improving the larger Dockyards of the United Kingdom and the Colonies,and, whether their Lordships intend stopping all expenditure on new works and machinery in these dockyards until the question of sale is finally decided?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, in reply, that the proposals of the Government with reference to the points alluded to by the hon. Member would be fully explained in the course of his statement on the Naval Estimates.