§ CAPTAIN PRICEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether experiments which have lately been carried on at Portsmouth show that boats supplied to men-of-war are not capable of standing the concussion caused by the firing of very heavy guns; and what do the Admiralty propose to do in the matter?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREI suppose the hon. and gallant Member refers to the recent trial of the heavy guns of the Neptune. It was thought probable that the concussion of the guns would injure the boats of this vessel, and a trial was made on this point with an old boat. It was found that when placed within a certain distance of the line of fire of the guns considerable damage was done to the boat, but that it was quite possible to place it a position where no damage could result, and orders have been given accordingly with reference to the boats of this vessel.