§ MR. PARNELLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether it is true 264 that the wreck of the Vanguard is silting up with sand; and if so, whether he has any information as the extent of the silting up; and, if the Admiralty, in any contract entered into for the raising of the ship, has reserved power to itself to take steps, prior to the expiration of the time allowed for the completion of the contract, to prevent the wreck from becoming a permanent obstruction to navigation?
§ MR. HUNT, in reply, said, that by the last report he had received, which was dated the 22nd January, it appeared that the Vanguard had sunk vertically into the sand to the extent of 9½ feet since the 11th of September. If any contract were entered into for the raising of the vessel power would be reserved to the Government to terminate such contract in the event of the rate of progress not being satisfactory, and to take any necessary steps to prevent the vessel being any obstruction to navigation, and if the ship were not raised the masts would be removed.