MR. J. D. LEWISasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether it is the fact that all Her Majesty's Broadside Ironclads, powerful Cruizers, and new Gunboats, carrying armour-plate piercing guns of 9, 12½, 18, and 25 tons weight, are either provided with Captain Scott's new pattern carriages and gear or have the old gun-carriages worked by his machinery, and that this machinery is also fitted in all Turret ships; and, whether it is true that a sum of £2,000 has been offered by Government to Captain Scott, as a full reward for these inventions and his services in carrying them into execution, 998 and that sum has been declined by Captain Scott, on the ground that it does not represent more than a portion of the outlay which he has incurred in carrying out his experiments and perfecting his inventions; and, if so, whether Government intends to take any further steps for the purpose of investigating Captain Scott's claims to compensation?
§ MR. GOSCHENSir, Captain Scott did not design the service pattern of gun carriage and slide which has been adopted in the Navy for guns up to and including the 9-inch gun of 12 tons; but the running in and training gear of the carriages and slides for guns of 9 tons, and above that weight, were designed by him; he did design the carriages and slides of the guns of 18 and 25 tons weight now mounted in the Navy, as well as for the guns to be mounted in the turret vessels now building. Captain Scott was attached to the Admiralty solely for the purpose of furthering in every way the efficient working of heavy guns, and while so employed he received the full pay of an officer of his rank and command money. The adoption of Captain Scott's designs has enabled heavy guns to be worked with case, safety, and rapidity. Captain Scott having submitted for the favourable consideration of the Admiralty his claims for reward of his inventions in the working of heavy guns at sea, they were referred to a Sub-Committee of the Ordnance Council, to which one or two naval officers were specially added, for the consideration of Captain Scott's claims. The Secretary of State for War concurred in this course. The various mechanical contrivances or improvements for which Captain Scott claimed reward, having been placed by him in writing distinctly before the Committee, each item was carefully considered with the assistance of all the official Papers bearing on the subject, and, after careful examination, the Committee recommended that a sum of £2,000 should be awarded to Captain Scott. The award was made by professional men, and was not in any way controlled or curtailed by the Lords of the Treasury, or by any financial authority. It is true that in a letter of the 23rd of June last Captain Scott declined to receive this amount as a full reward for these inventions and his services in carrying them into execution, on the ground that it does not represent more than a portion of the outlay which he 999 has incurred in carrying out his experiments and perfecting his inventions. Captain Scott will be asked to state the extent of the outlay, the dates of such outlay, and the circumstances under which it was incurred. That statement will then be investigated with the assistance of the members of the Committee to whom his claims were referred.