§ MR. WHALLEYsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, with 1786 reference to the sale of such of Her Majesty's ships as are not now required for the Service, Whether the use of such ships might be obtained for Schools or other public purposes, subject to such conditions for their preservation, and their return when required, as the Admiralty may prescribe?
LORD HENRY LENNOXsaid, in reply, that the Admiralty had already in many instances given ships for the purposes specified by the hon. Gentleman, and would be glad to do so where this was possible and compatible with the public service. At the same time he must point out that, in many cases, the societies not only asked for the loan of ships, but required that these should be refitted, caulked, and otherwise repaired at very large cost, for which no provision could be made in the Naval Estimates.