§ MR. DWYER GRAY (Dublin, St. Stephen's Green)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether Lord Brassey's Naval Annual contains information drawn from Admiralty private and confidential documents, to which none but officials have access; and, is the gentleman referred to by him as assisting Lord Brassey in the work of editing his Naval Annual the present Director of Greenwich Hospital, who is paid £1,000 a-year as a servant of the Government?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)The information contained in The Naval Annual is of such an extensive character that it is impossible to undertake the detailed investigation necessary to answer the Question. The noble author is the only person who can answer it. Speaking generally, the information is of a character similar to that published in other English and foreign compilations. the present Director of Greenwich Hospital did assist Lord Brassey in the work of editing The Naval Annual. But. as I have already informed the House, the assistance given was altogether of a private nature, and given out of office hours, and he had nothing to do with the supply or collection of the matter contained in the book.