§ MR. KAVANAGHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty or, in his absence, the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is true that Her Majesty's transport ship "Megæra" has just been commissioned to take out to Sydney 33 officers and 350 men, with several hundred tons of stores, whereas she is only qualified to carry 14 officers and 220 men; that half the officers' mess gear is on deck from want of stowage room; that she is moreover in an unseaworthy condition, leaking from stem to stern, and that notwithstanding the distinct assurance of her commander that the ship was not ready for sea, the Admiral told him "he must go, as he had orders to send him off?"
§ MR. BAXTERIt is true, Sir, that Her Majesty's ship Megæra was commissioned to take out to Australia 33 officers and 350 men (inclusive of her own complement), with 400 tons of cargo. It is not true that she was only calculated to carry 14 officers and 220 men; on the contrary, she has taken to the Cape 22 officers, 425 men, 26 women, and 56 children, in addition to her own crew; and from Jamaica to Cape Coast Castle 18 officers, 400 men, 12 women, and 12 children, also exclusive of her complement. She has also frequently carried over 400 tons of cargo. There is not a word of truth in the statement that she is unseaworthy and leaking from stem to stern, nor in the further statement that the men had twice protested against going to sea. With respect to the accommodation of the officers, I have to state to the House that I have this morning seen Vice Admiral Elliott, Commander-in-Chief at Sheerness, who authorizes me to say that, in his opinion, it was amply sufficient. Regarding what passed at Plymouth between Admiral Codrington and Captain Thrupp, I prefer quoting the account of the conversation given by the Admiral himself, and received at Whitehall to-day—
After dusk Captain Thrupp again came to me from the Megæra and asked if the ship might wait till next day (Sunday) morning. As he acknowledged having received the stores I had ordered for the ship's use, I inquired his reasons for remaining, as there was a fine, fair wind for the ship. He said that the ship's decks 1392 were lumbered up with casks and packages which had not yet been stowed away. It appeared that they were not public stores, but provisions, &c., for the mess of the officers. Considering that after fitting out for the eastward the ship had been two days in this port, it appeared to me that the officers might have procured and stowed away their own sea stock before then, and as it could not take half an hour's attention on their part to do it now, I did not see sufficient reason to authorize the Megæra remaining another day. I told Captain Thrupp that if the weather was bad, or the wind from the south-west, I knew the Admiralty would not wish him to go to sea; but that as the weather was fine, and a nice fair wind blowing, I did not think the Admiralty would be pleased if, without any defects to be taken in hand, he remained another day in the Sound, as it was a great object for the Megæra to get clear out of the Channel. I may add that I did not give Captain Thrupp any order to sail on that evening, though I certainly advised him as I stated above.What really caused the inconvenience and discomfort was the very large quantity of private baggage and stores belonging to the officers and men taken in at Sheerness and Plymouth after the ship had completed her loading, and for which sufficient allowance had not been made. The condition of some of the main-deck ports, moreover, seems to have been imperfect, and in consequence the water washed from side to side, wetting the things which had not been stowed away. As to the real condition of the ship, her readiness to go to sea, &c., perhaps the House would like to hear me read two or three sentences from a letter dated Saturday, from Rear Admiral Forbes, at Queenstown—I have to report that, in compliance with their Lordships' directions by telegraph, of yesterday, which I found on my return to Queenstown, I have carefully inspected the Megæra this morning, and have already telegraphed to their Lordships my opinion that the ship is fit for the service on which she is employed. … All the decks are much lumbered; but she is very ill-stowed, and much clearance may be made when this is better done. … The ports are now mended and re-lined, and new ones placed where necessary. The main deck is also inconveniently crowded for sleeping; by clearing out the troop deck below as suggested, many men now berthed above may be berthed there … The result of my inspection is that the Megæra has been inconveniently crowded with cargo, considering the quantity of stores and effects accompanying the officers and men she takes out; that landing about 100 tons weight would rid her of this evil; and that the officers taking passage have also been crowded considering the length of the voyage. If the number of them were reduced by four the remainder would also be relieved.
§ Orders have been sent to Queenstown accordingly.