§ MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if it is correct that H.M.S. Rodney, which fouled the North Goodwin Lightship, when on her passage to Portsmouth, was considerably out of her course; and, whether the Elk, which fouled the Newark Lightship, when on her passage from Queensferry to 54 Portsmouth, was also out of her course; if so, will he state whether either of the vessels had on board a licensed pilot, also the extent of damage sustained by the two vessels and the lightships?
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingIt is not correct to say that the Rodney and the Elk were considerably out of their course when they fouled the lightships referred to. An error of judgment in not making sufficient allowance for the strength of the tide was the cause of the collision in both cases. Neither of the vessels had pilots on board, but were navigated by their own officers. The damage done to the ships and light vessels was slight, except to the Elk, though even in her case the injury did not extend below the upper deck.