§ MR. T. BRASSEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If he will give the names of all mail steamers which called at St. Vincent, while the hired transports were detained at the island, and what quantity of coal was supplied to each mail steamer; whether he will lay upon the Table a Return, distinguishing the transports fitted with compound engines from those fitted with engines not compound; and, showing further, what quantity of coal was sup- 1854 plied to each transport before sailing from England, and the consumption of coal daily in each vessel on the passage to St. Vincent?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI have obtained the information asked for. There were eight mail steamers which coaled between the 7th and 13th of March, and five other steamers. The Chimborazo, Australian mail, which arrived on the 7th and left on the 8th, took 450 tons. The Mondego, Royal mail, which arrived on the 8th and left the same day, took 161 tons. The Umberto, Italian mail, which arrived on the 8th and left on the 10th, took 200 tons. The Guadiana, Royal mail, which arrived on the 10th and left on the 11th, took 300 tons. The Poitou, French mail, which arrived on the 11th and left on the 12th, took 270 tons. The Italia, Italian mail, which arrived on the 10th and left on the 12th, took 250 tons. The Nord American, which arrived on the 13th and left the same day, took 155 tons. The Benzuella, Portuguese mail, which arrived on the 13th and left on the same day, took 28 tons. The eight mail steamers coaled between the 7th and 13th of March took 1,814 tons, and five merchant ships took 770 tons—in all, 2,584 tons. I shall be very happy to procure and lay on the Table any further information on this subject that may be desired by my hon. Friend.