§ ADMIRAL FIELD (Sussex, Eastbourne)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether the Lords Commissioners are willing to co-operate with the Indian Government, in providing suitable dock accommodation at Bombay for large ships of Her Majesty's Navy, by payment of a moiety of the cost of enlarging existing docks in the Government Dockyard at that port; whether different Admirals in command of the Indian Station have repeatedly urged the necessity of providing such docking facilities as aforesaid, especially in view of requirements in time of war; whether estimates have been submitted showing that the cost of such dock extension would not exceed £100,000, or thereabouts; and, whether, in January 1882, the Euryalus, late flagship on Indian Station, was compelled to be sent to Malta (distant 4,000 miles) to be docked for repairs, through the want of the necessary accommodation at Bombay? The hon. and gallant Gentleman also asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the Government of India are prepared to co-operate with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in providing the necessary dock accommodation at Bombay for largo ships of Her Majesty's Navy, in accordance with the repeated recommendations of different Admirals in command of the Indian Station, to meet the urgent requirements of the Navy, especially in time of war; and, whether he is aware that the flagship on Indian Station, in January 1882, was obliged to proceed to Malta to be docked for repairs, for want of the necessary accommodation at Bom- 503 bay, whereby the said Station was deprived of the most efficient ship belonging thereto for a period of several months?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)The Admirals in command of the East India Station have reported the insufficiency of the existing docking facilities at Bombay. A dock extension, costing £83,000, was formerly suggested; but it was found that this extension would not; make sufficient provision for docking first-class ships. It was, therefore, thought preferable to build a new dock altogether; and I understand that the Indian Government are taking stops to provide the accommodation. It is the case that the Euryalus had to proceed to Malta from Bombay to be docked.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)The Government of India are now engaged in providing the necessary dock accommodation at Bombay for the largest type of ships in Her Majesty's Navy.