§ Mr. HANBURY-TRACYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he proposes to take any steps to limit the opportunities now afforded to Foreign Officers of becoming acquainted with all the latest improvements and alterations in the designs of ships building in the Dockyards, and with the results of experiments carried out at great expense to the Country; and whe- 1349 ther, if he is unable to put a stop to the present practice of showing everything to Foreign Officers, he will place the same facilities of acquiring information into the hands of our own Officers?
§ Mr. HUNT, in reply, said, that the foreign officers admitted into the Dockyards in this country were placed under regulations. No special opportunities were afforded to them for becoming acquainted with the results of experiments in this country, except on the condition of reciprocity; and if there were any further limitations, we should be deprived of the advantage of acquiring similar information from foreign countries. All proper facilities for acquiring information were given to such of our own officers as were considered entitled to them by the Admiralty.