§ MR. NORWOODasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the statement that has recently appeared in the public press as to the "extraordinary discovery" of serious injury to the bottom of Her Majesty's Ship "Neptune" at Portsmouth, is substantially correct; whether it is a fact that this ship was built on the Thames for the Brazilian Government under the name of the "Independenzia," and that an accident occurred in the attempt to launch her; that she stuck on the ways for several days with a portion of her hull overhanging the river, and unsupported at low-water, and that she was thereby subjected to great strain; whether it is a fact that, owing to the very great structural injury she was believed to have sustained, a claim was made on her Underwriters for a total loss, which, after much debate, was compromised by the payment of a sum of about £77,000, being 35 per cent, on the insured value of £220,000; whether, notwithstanding these circumstances of general notoriety, Her Majesty's Government subsequently purchased this ship in the year 1878; and, whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the Surveys by the Dockyard Authorities, and of the recommendations, official or otherwise, upon which the purchase of this ship was made; together with a statement showing the price paid for her by Her 1421 Majesty's Government, the cost of the repairs and alterations subsequently I effected on her, and an estimate of the probable outlay now necessary to make Her Majesty's Ship "Neptune" seaworthy?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANSir, I have already said, in answer to the right hon. and gallant Admiral the Member for Wigtown (Sir John Hay), that the statement in the public Press regarding the discovery of defects in the Neptune is greatly exaggerated, and there is nothing to prevent her from going to sea as intended. No outlay will be required at present. My hon. Friend recites a number of facts connected with the history of this ship, and her purchase by the late Board of Admiralty, and asks me if they are correct. Some of these facts were, I believe, matters of public notoriety at the time; but of the accuracy of others, as stated in my hon. Friend's Question, I have no knowledge, nor am I acquainted with the reasons which led my right hon. Friend opposite the Member for Westminster (Mr. W. H. Smith) and his Colleagues to make the purchase. If my hon. Friend will move for a Return of the cost of the Neptune up to the present time I shall be happy to lay it on the Table. I understand that there was no survey of the ship by professional officers before its purchase, for this reason—that no survey could be made, the ship being fitted and ready for sea. A thorough inspection was, however, made by the Board itself. As to the official recommendations on which the ship was purchased, these were, of course, of a confidential nature and cannot be produced.