§ MR. BROADHURSTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether his attention has been called to the delay in the building of the naval vessels now in the course of construction on the Tyne; and, whether this delay is in consequence of an attempt, on the part of the firms intrusted with the work, to enforce a reduction of wages to a less rate than that which was paid at the time the estimates were made and the contracts entered into for the building of these vessels?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON)I am informed that there has been a difference between certain shipbuilders on the Tyne and some of the men whom they employ; but I do not know the exact cause of the dispute. The ships now building on the Tyne for the Admiralty are, so far as their construction is concerned, in advance of the Estimate made last year of their probable progress; and, in all probability, a Supplementary Vote will be required to provide funds for the payments the contractors can claim over the provision made in the Estimates of the present financial year.