§ MR. RYLANDSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House, before the Navy Estimates are taken, the estimated cost (including percentages for Establishment and Dockyard charges, of repairing the "Lord Warden," the "Royal Alfred," the "Lord Clyde," the "Urgent," and the "Liffey,"stating also for what purposes such vessels are to be used?
§ MR. HUNT,in reply, said, he had attended the House to answer the hon. Member's Question, but he wished to observe that it was not usual to put Questions to Ministers on Wednesdays, as it was a great interruption to the public service that they should be required to attend the House at 12 o'clock. He would at once state that the Lord Warden, would be finished next month, and that the estimated costs were £40,000 odd for repairs. The Royal Alfred would, it was estimated, cost £81,000 odd; but it was not finally decided whether certain other repairs would be taken in hand or not. The Lord Clyde would, it was estimated, cost £26,000 odd; the Urgent £17,000 odd, and the Liffey £17,000 odd. The Lord Warden and the Royal Alfred would be repaired for regular sea service; the Lord Clyde would be fitted as a gunnery-ship, and the Urgent and the Liffey would be prepared as receiving and depôt ships for Jamaica and Coquimbo to replace the ships worn out. These charges were exclusive of the established commission charges, which perhaps would amount to 30 per cent in addition.
§ MR. RYLANDSregretted that he had put the right hon. Gentleman to the in- 1821 convenience of coming down to the House at 12 o'clock by putting the Question on the Paper for that day. He had done so through inadvertence.