§ SIR JOHN HAYasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If he will state, approximately, how much money is to be expended on the hull of Her Majesty's ship Benbow, and how much on the engines, this year, and when the Benbow will be handed over by the contractors; and, whether the armour-clads now building and to be built are to be partially armoured like the Collingwood, or completely armoured all round?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe amounts provided in this year's Estimates for the Benbow are, for hull £160,000, and for machinery £27,100. The contract date for her completion is July, 1886. All the armour-clads of the Admiral class have the water-line armour confined to the central part of the ship. In the Hero, as in her sister ship, the Conqueror, the water-line armour extends to the stem, but not to the stern.