§ MR. T. E. SMITHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether it is true that a portion of the Derwentwater Estates lately advertised for sale 146 by public auction, have been agreed to be sold by private contract to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, without testing their value by public competition?
§ MR. GOSCHEN,in reply, said, no portion of the estates which had been advertised for sale by public auction had been withdrawn or agreed to be sold by private contract. It had been under consideration whether another portion of the estate which had not been advertised for sale by auction, should not be sold to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. If the Admiralty found that better terms could be obtained by private treaty than by public sale, that course would be followed.