HC Deb 01 April 1884 vol 286 cc1275-6
MR. BUCHANAN

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Whether an application has recently been made to the Lords of the Treasury by the Scottish Meteorological Society for a grant in aid of the Marine Zoological Station established at Granton on the Firth of Forth; and. what were the grounds upon which this application was refused?

MR. COURTNEY

Sir, an application was made as stated by my hon. Friend. There were three reasons for declining to accede to it—first, similar work is now being done at the public expense both by the Scotch Fishery Board and by the Trawling Commission; secondly, it did not seem right to add to the sum of almost £30,000 provided for scientific grants in this year's Estimates; thirdly, it seems anomalous to intrust money for the purposes of marine zoology to a Meteorological Society.

MR. BUCHANAN

asked if the hon. Gentleman would lay the Correspondence on the Table?

MR. COURTNEY

said, he thought all the particulars embraced in the Correspondence were contained in what he had stated; but if the hon. Gentleman wished to see it he could do so.